The Scoop

By Dalton Del Don

Joba Chamberlain is one of the toughest calls this year, as he has a ton of upside yet is a health risk, and his role remains somewhat in question. He’ll almost certainly be a starter moving forward – after all, the Yankees would be fools not to put him in the rotation. But the team has tentatively given him a 150 innings cap, which makes sense considering he tossed just 100.1 last season. Chamberlain has struggled so far in spring – including Thursday when gave up five runs against Team Canada without recording an out. Still, other than Tim Lincecum, there isn’t a pitcher with a higher ceiling in baseball. He has an 11.02 K/9 IP mark since getting called up by New York.

There might not be a cheaper source for steals than Nyjer Morgan this year. He’s the favorite to win the left field job, with Steve Pearce headed for more seasoning in Triple-A, and Andrew McCutchen far from ready. Morgan doesn’t have any power, but he hit .347 in 118 at-bats after the All-Star break last season and stole 70 bases over his last 130 games in the minors. He’s a sleeper.

Don’t forget about Rafael Soriano. Obviously, he’s one of the bigger injury risks around, as he’s coming back from nerve-transposition surgery that also removed a bone spur in his right elbow. But he’s healthy now, and while Mike Gonzalez is definitely the favorite to close in Atlanta, he’s had a checkered past as far as health is concerned as well. The left-hander also struggles with his control at times. Meanwhile, Soriano is simply one of the game’s best pitchers when on the mound. He’s one of the few middle relievers who can be an asset in fantasy leagues even if he isn’t getting saves, but don’t be shocked if he finishes with a dozen of those as well.

The more the details start coming out regarding Alex Rodriguez’s hip, the more dangerous the situation has become. A torn labrum is serious, and the Yankees are surprisingly asking him to play through it. Because surgery would knock him out at least four months, ARod would have to come at a severe discount to be considered in fantasy leagues. I won’t be touching him

Speaking of hip conditions, it sounds like Chase Utley is recovering extremely well. I’ve moved him back ahead of Ian Kinsler as the No. 1 ranked second baseman, and I’m far less worried about his prognosis than I previously was. He can be considered late in the first round.

Early indications are that Terrell Owens is getting the Barry Bonds treatment. It’s still early, obviously, but it looks like he’s going to struggle to find a new team. Owens may not want to play for a losing franchise, but don’t be surprised if Oakland is the only team that comes calling. And really, wasn’t Owens just born to be a Raider?