Moving up and moving down

As we get closer and closer to the start of the season, you should be ready for your draft. By this time, you shouldn't need to move guys to far one way or another (except in the case of serious injury or demotion). Today I wanted to discuss a few guys that seem to be moving in recent drafts. Some are gaining value while others are sliding for various reason. Let's start with the guys moving up.

LA's offense - With Manny now in the fold once again, the entire Dodgers lineup seems to be gaining momentum. From Furcal to Kemp to Either, everyone loves having Manny's bat back in the lineup. There's good reason for it and I agree that this offense should be one of the best in the NL...if everyone can stay healthy.

Chris Carpenter SP STL and Eric Bedard SP SEA - Two form aces seem to be returning to form this spring. There's always risk when a pitcher is coming back from injury, but these guys are well worth the risk where they are being drafted. Just be sure not to reach too high for them or the risk might out weigh the reward.

Pablo Sandoval 1b/3b/C? SF - Depending on your league Sandoval could offer great value at C. He's still a solid sleeper at corner, but he's been rising up draft boards more recently. I still think he's worth a shot and should deliver great numbers in the heart of SF's lineup.

Now let's turn to the guys sliding down a bit...

Ervin Santana SP LA - After a breakout season last year, he was poised to take the next step to elite status. That's been put on hold by a sprained elbow ligament. He's going to rest and take some time off, but that's a huge red flag for me and I've dropped him down a few rounds. If he falls too far, he could be a steal, but watch this closely.

Alex Rodriguez 3b NYY - This is an obvious one, but a tough one to gauge. Where do you take him now? We don't know when he'll be back. We don't know when he'll be himself even when he's back. My guess is someone will reach for him too early. I'll be the one who lets someone else draft him and then swoop in after he returns and isn't quite himself for the first few games. He should be Arod by the All Star break, but that might be too long to wait for some owners.

Cole Hamels SP PHI - After a superb season followed by an MVP World Series, Hamels recently complained of some discomfort in his elbow. He had a huge work load last year and this doesn't help the concerns. I wouldn't be too worried, but I'd defiantly bump him down a few spots.