April players to watch -- AL

April is an incredibly important month in fantasy baseball.  I have continuously stressed the importance of your players getting off to a good start, but it's more than that.  There are many, many players in the league that have question marks surrounding them as they head into the season.  Some are already on fantasy teams fighting to keep their playing time.  Some are in your waiver pool and will be key additons in 2010.  Some players have switched leagues or teams and we need to know how they will respond to said change.  Some players will simply just breakout and never look back, Adam Lind style.

Here are the guys I will be closely monitoring in April.  We'll do the AL today, and the NL...Wednesday?  Golf preview tomorrow.

Ben Sheets, SP, OAK
Does he still have it?  I'd bet yes, despite the poor spring numbers, but it's worth monitoring after all the injuries.

Trevor Cahill, SP, OAK
Cahill needs to produce or he's going to end up in AAA.  Remember, he's a year away from being a top five pitching prospect in the game.

Brandon Wood, 3B, LAA
Finally, his time has come.  He sure would make all of us who have been complaining that he needs more PT look stupid if he really can't play and the K's override his immense power.

Milton Bradley, OF/DH, SEA
Say what you want abour him, and this quote says plenty.  "Two years ago, I played, and I was good. I go to Chicago, not good. I've been good my whole career. So, obviously, it was something with Chicago, not me."  Still, he's been an OPS machine in the past when healthy, and he's apparently going to hit cleanup in Seattle.

Chris Davis, 1B, TEX
Yesterday, I talked about Justin Smoak, who is breathing down his neck.  Davis needs to produce more than Casey at the Bat-like K's early to keep his job.

Delmon Young, OF, MIN
It may be now or never time for Delmon.  If he doesnlt hit early I can see him going back to eating that extra meal a day.

Alex Rios, OF, CWS
Rios was as bad as you can be for the portion of the season last year after I dealt for him.  Unfortunatley, that was a large chuck, as the deal was done in May.  April should tell us if he'll find it again.

Jake Peavy, SP, CWS
I have a hunch he'll be great early when most of the league hasn't seen him and he could be a great sell high in a few weeks.  He may make the May list too.

Austin Jackson, OF, DET
He is going to start in center, and has speed to be a fantasy factor.  Can he hit?

Billy Butler, 1B, KC
He's the only Royal outside of Greinke and Soria who's even ownable right now.  You know how I know that?  Here's how.  Will Butler make the leap in 2010?

Matt LaPorta, 1B, CLE
Will he provide the power we've been waiting for?  If not, Russell Branyan is starting the season on the DL and will be back to cut into LaPorta's PT.

Fausto Carmona, SP, CLE
Buster Olney talks about Carmona so much I'm surprised he's still on the wire in one of my leagues.  He's been brilliant this spring.  He's also been terrible for at least two straight years.

Clay Buchholz, SP, BOS
The Sox have the depth to go in another direction if Clay decides to steal some computers or pitch poorly.

John Lackey, SP, BOS
Can he pitch in Fenway?

Jeremy Hermida, OF, BOS
He's the fourth OF now, but still, I'm intrigued.  David Ortiz wasn't on rosters when he first got to Fenway either.

Curtis Granderson, OF, NYY
Will he turn into a 35 HR hitter with the porch?  Will he get pulled against lefties?

Phil Hughes, SP, NYY
He's in the same situation as Buchholz, minus the technology.

Sean Rodriguez/Ben Zobrist/Matt Joyce, OF/2B, TB
I'm really interested to see how the ABs get spread out between these guys in Tampa.  All of them can play.

David Price, SP, TB
Price has been around long enough to be a breakout guy.

Wade Davis, SP, TB
All signs point to positive with Davis, who is minor league seasoned and ready to go.  Should be a fantasy factor right away.

Travis Snider, OF, TOR
Another former top prspect flying a little under the radar.  I think he's going to hit in 2010.

Nolan Reimold, OF, BAL
Felix Pie is the fourth OF and Jones and Markakis are pretty locked in.  Reimold needs to start well to keep his value.

Chris Tillman, SP, BAL
Everyone loves Brian Matusz, his lefthanded counterpart, and Tillman isn't getting any national buzz.  That could change with a strong April.  He has the tools.

Cheers,
TFAM