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Every Monday we'll take a look at the Fantasy Baseball gainers and decliners in our Fantasy Stockwatch. Week 1 of spring training is notoriously a dangerous time to overreact before Draft Day. Right now, Johan Santana and Erik Bedard look like potential busts after their disappointing debuts, while no-name guys invited to camp on minor league contracts like Jolbert Cabrera (five RBI) can appear dazzling. We obviously stir the pot as much as anyone with our daily spring training player updates, but there is still something to take away from it all in the big picture. Here are our top 10 movers from the past week: | Brian Roberts, 2B, BAL Roberts already has four stolen bases, three of them being steals of third, and it looks like the O's are featuring him and his 30-year-old legs. He might not steal 50 again, but he can certainly reach 40. Also, reports says the talks with the Cubs have picked up of late and that could mean a huge boost for the switch-hitter. There will be a big difference between leading off with the Orioles and with the Cubs. | | Clay Buchholz, SP, BOS It was good news -- in a sick way, we suppose -- when Curt Schilling (shoulder) was ruled out until at least midseason. Buchholz was supposed to be a lock for the No. 5 spot in the Red Sox rotation. Well, they have since signed veteran Bartolo Colon and Buchholz looked shaky Sunday. Curiously, Buchholz is on the same pitching schedule as Tim Wakefield, so could that mean Buchholz's addition to the rotation might not come until Wake's shoulder acts up. | | Bartolo Colon, SP, BOS If a Red Sox starter is downgraded and potentially not going to start the year, then you have to find the alternative. Colon is that right now and might make his spring debut March 9 or 15. Watch him closely. He is hardly reaching 90 mph at this point, but if healthy, the Red Sox could go with experience in their No. 5 spot and keep Buchholz on a steady five-day schedule in Triple-A. Keep watching this. All Red Sox starters will be owned in all Fantasy leagues. | | Eric Chavez, 3B, OAK Chavez is indirectly the reason GM Billy Beane tore everything up and started over this winter. He just cannot be counted on to get or stay healthy. After offseason back surgery, Chavez has been shut down for almost a week. Clearly, he is still not right, although the A's said "he has been doing very well." The injury-risk sleeper in much less intriguing without complete health in spring training. | | Jayson Nix, 2B, COL One of our favorite position battles this spring is the second base job in Colorado. That is a great ballpark and lineup to be a part of obviously and a thin position where a sleeper could come in handy. Nix lacks the offensive punch to be worthy of mixed-league consideration on Draft Day, but his glove appears to give him the edge in the battle at this point. With full-time at-bats he can be good enough to help in deeper NL-only formats. | | Ian Stewart, 3B, COL This is really the reason we liked the second base battle in Colorado. Stewart has immense power potential, hitting like a corner infielder and potentially getting eligibility at second base. This guy's lefty swing is Chase Utley-good at that position. The problem is that reports are he looks like a linebacker playing second. That is awful news to us, especially since the Rockies led baseball with the fewest errors a season ago. Stewart might produce more runs that Nix, but how many might his defense allow? | | Mike Pelfrey, SP, NYM Pelfrey might be the most impressive pitcher in baseball through two starts in spring training. Now, that doesn't say much, but when you consider Orlando Hernandez's poor reports on how he is feeling, you now might be able to get excited about the promising Pelfrey. Like the Red Sox No. 5 starter, all Mets rotation members should be owned in all Fantasy leagues. The Braves were breaking bats and hitting weak grounders in Pelfrey's three innings Monday. | | Orlando Hernandez, SP, NYM We figured it was time to buy into Pelfrey last Friday when El Duque was wished good luck in his rehab and responded, "Thanks, I am going to need it." That is not a glowing endorsement and spring training has been a disgusting time of saying "I am in the best shape of my career!" El Duque is one saying the exact opposite, so we have to take notice. He wasn't going to pitch more than 150 innings this year anyway, so figure his first DL stint will be at the beginnnig of the season. | | Bobby Crosby, SS, OAK Crosby hit two homers over the weekend, which excited yours truly to no end. But, after another injury-plagued season and a broken vertebrae in his back, Crosby was scratched from the lineup Monday with back spasms. Welcome back Mr. Here We Go Again. The two homers are clouded by injury updates. We have a hunch Crosby will play a significant role this season, so injury news will scare off the weak-hearted enough to allow you to get the talented Crosby on the cheap. | | Troy Patton, SP, BAL The O's knew there were getting damaged goods from the Astros in the Miguel Tejada trade, so they don't mind the fact Patton might have to sit out the entire season now. He is that good of a long-term prospect, they are willing to wait a year on him. We don't like it when a pitcher has a shoulder injury. Shoulder surgeries are not as effective as elbow ligament replacements. Ignore him outside of the deepest of long-term keeper leagues at this point. | You can e-mail us your Fantasy Baseball questions to DMFantasyBaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Stockwatch 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 to all questions.
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