FanHouse ScottLewis

Heading into Spring Training, the most unknown fantasy baseball values come in the form of positional battles. Let's face it, the entire "sport" of fantasy baseball is unknown, because no one has a crystal ball. Still, predicting output from an individual player is much more difficult when you don't know what his role will be.

With that in mind, we're going to take a look at some of the pitchers who have recently either sewn up a spot in the starting rotation or are nearing that job. We won't be including those who were guaranteed a spot heading into camp.

The Cleveland Indians weren't going to have CC Sabathia this year, whether they traded him to Milwaukee last July or not. The Yankees were going to get him.

So without the big lefty, the Tribe had to remake their rotation, and Wednesday they picked Scott Lewis (right) as their fifth starter. The top two in the rotation could be formidable -- if Cliff Lee can come close to his 2008 performance and Fausto Carmona his 2007 numbers. After that, though, it's a little dicey.

Carl Pavano is the No. 3, and in four injury-plagued AL seasons, he never won more than four games. Then comes Anthony Reyes, on whom the Cardinals (always in need of starters, it seems) gave up.

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...
Team that should have more doctors on staff. Lofty expectations turned sour when major keys to the Indians lineup went down with injury in 2008. Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner, Fausto Carmona, and Jake Westbrook all lost significant time to various maladies. The health and or hasty return of these guys, and the continued health of Kerry Wood are crucial to the Indians having any success in 2009.

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.

Chicago White Sox
The buzz around White Sox camp is position battles. Up for grabs is the third base position, center field and second base. Josh Fields and Dayan Viciedo are fighting for third and Fields has the leg up. Both hitters can mash the ball and both play suspect defense; although Fields is improving. Fields worked extensively this off-season at Camp Cora and Cora mentioned that everyone would be shocked with what they see out of Fields this year. He has three hits in six at-bats with two doubles so far this spring. Jayson Nix and his four hits in six at-bats with two doubles seem to be taking over as front-runner for the second base job thought to belong to Chris Getz. DeWayne Wise is being called the "best player this spring" and may be taking the center field job from injured Jerry Owens.