As it stands now, I've really ignored OPS, Saves, and Holds, and I'm not really set to focus on that just yet. I should be very competitive in the starting pitching categories, home runs needs some work, but I think I'll be fairly decent in runs scored, runs batted in, and stolen bases. I'm really looking to acquire a couple run producing bats at this stage of the draft, and like I said before, I'd like to fill those three pitcher spots with guys whose roll is to be determined. My main objectives here, were to execute the "Konerko Plan", snag a top prospect or two, and fill out my offense with some bats that are being undervalued because of age and or injury.

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I mentioned a few days ago....maybe a little longer than that, or maybe I have just been repeating myself lately, that I plan on drafting pitching early in my NL-only 5 x 5 redraft league this year. I even talked to another owner in that league this week telling him what my plan was. This owner loves his starting pitchers, and he said he might use his dump power strategy this year. I might do the same.

So, our conversation peaked my interest in what the current sentiment was over at Mock Draft Central. I entered an NL-only draft last night to see what the first round would look like, and it was shocking to say the least.

What used to be a round filled with guys like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder and David Wright is now filled with several starting pitchers. Granted, they are all aces, so one can't argue too loudly about drafting a starter in the first round. But, come on, FOUR starting pitchers in the first round?

The mock draft results after the jump:

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This post is the 13th and final post in a series of rankings catered specifically to fantasy baseball head-to-head points leagues and the second of two focused on relief pitchers.

H2H Relief Pitchers 1-25 Rankings/Profiles

All pitchers in this post and future points league rankings are based on these scoring values:

(W x 7) + (SV x 7) + (IP x 3) + (K x 0.5) - (ER x 2) - (H x 1) - (BB x 1) = Total

For strategy and thoughts on drafting relief pitchers in a points league, read here.

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Headlining the UFC's proper debut on broadcast television is a fight between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis which holds major ramifications for the light heavyweight title picture. If Evans is victorious and healthy he will have the next shot at Jon Jones, finally granting some closure to the saga of Evans vs. Jones. Should Davis end the broadcast with his hand raised, or if Evans wins but suffers an injury which would prevent an early summer fight, the title shot will instead be granted to Dan Henderson.

Rashad Evans

A former UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Evans became only the second non-veterans season TUF competitor to win a UFC title, having taken the belt off of the first TUF-champ turned UFC champion, Forrest Griffin. Like many of the big names to emerge from the show, Evans draws strong reactions from the fans, often of the negative variety with Evans serving as a guy people will always tune in to watch, usually in the hopes he will be defeated.

Recent Fights

While Evans is well-removed from his short reign as UFC light heavyweight champion, having won the belt more than three years ago and never defending successfully, he has had only three fights since losing the belt to Lyoto Machida. Through a combination of his own injuries and attempting to wait out injuries of the champion, Evans fought just twice in 2010 and once in 2011. After decisions over Thiago Silva and Rampage Jackson he was expected to earn a title shot with Shogun Rua, who was injured. Evans waited for the champ, only to find himself injured when the fight was finally booked. Semi-teammate Jon Jones stepped up instead to smash Rua, starting a he-said-he-said soap opera that has persisted ever since. The two were set to settle things late in 2011, however a Jones injury saw a bout with Davis booked instead. When Davis was then injured, Tito Ortiz stepped in, and Evans made short work of the former champ.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Rashad first came to prominence in the UFC as the heavyweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 2 as a relatively one-dimensional wrestler who could take down and control opponents but wasn't wowing spectators. Evans worked hard on his striking however, eventually earning highlight reel knock outs of Sean Salmon, Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin, however after being made to do the stanky leg by Machida, as Rampage Jackson put it, Evans has reverted back to utilizing his primary wrestling strength more in recent bouts.

Fantasy Impact

Rashad should be the superior striker in this match-up, and while he isn't as decorated a collegiate wrestler as Davis, in the world of MMA he has shown a greater ability to use his striking to set-up the take downs. Look for Evans to try to keep the fight standing where he has the edge and work toward a TKO victory in the second round, finally setting up his grudge match with Jon Jones. As with Sonnen in the event's co-main event, while Evans seems like a relatively safe bet, at -265 the odds don't leave much room for profit.

Phil Davis analysis after the jump.

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So far, we've looked at 8 of the systems in the Majors, and seen some good and some not-so-good. The goal with each team I look at is to discuss a few players who are likely to have an impact in the Majors in 2012, a few who could be ready by the start of 2014, and a few more who are a long ways away, but could be interesting as well. You can find links to the previous teams below:

Houston Astros | Minnesota Twins | Seattle Mariners | Baltimore Orioles

Kansas City Royals | Chicago Cubs | San Diego Padres | Pittsburgh Pirates

Overview

The Rockies had a decent system coming into the 2011 season, and saw that system improved with the trade of Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians. Overall, the system should start to produce high-level players who are ready to contribute by the end of the 2012 system. They are led by a likely top 20 overall prospect in 3B Nolan Arenado, as well as top starting pitching prospect Drew Pomeranz.

2011 Graduates

Juan Nicasio, Chris Nelson, Alex White

Ready in 2012

Wilin Rosario

Rosario missed the last month of the 2010 season after tearing his ACL in a rundown play, and it was wondered whether he would be the same when returned. He was sent back to AA Tulsa for another season, and posted better counting numbers, but a worse batting average and slugging percentage. However, he did end up receiving a September callup. The 3 homeruns in just 16 games were nice; the 20 strikeouts in just 57 at bats, not so much. The biggest concern continues to be the plate discipline, as he posted a 4.5% walk rate and a 21.4% strikeout rate in the minors last year. Here's what John Sickels had to say about Rosario as a part of this year's top 20 prospects over at Minor League Ball:

Terrific throwing arm and plenty of power, but strike zone judgment has deteriorated. Looks like he may end up something like Miguel Olivo.

Overall, I think that if he turns into Olivo he has the potential to be a starting fantasy catcher, especially given that he will likely play a lot of games at Coors Field. That said, the reports on him have cooled substantially from last season, and I don't know how much we will learn about him if he plays all season in AAA Colorado Springs. Realistically, the plate discipline numbers are what I will look at, as the power numbers will be almost useless there.

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Paul Konerko Player Projection No. 78 | Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove

Konerko was supposed to regress in 2011, but that did not happen. At age 36 you have to start worrying about age, but most underlying skills still are strong. His current ADP on Mock Draft Central is 47. Are you investing?

What They're Saying: CBS Sportsline - #9 in the Top 40 First Basemen; Tristan Cockcroft of ESPN.com - #7 in the Top 25 First Basemen & #41 in the Top 250 Players; RotoChamp - #34 in the Top 300; Mock Draft Central - #7 First Baseman and #45 Overall Projection: With a lengthy career and little injury history you can use pen for Konerko's floor this season...I think he'll be firting with .300 again looking at his increasing line drive and declining fly ball rates, unless this is the year he goes A-Rod on us.

The Disappointments of Youth: Pedro Alvarez | FanGraphs Fantasy Baseball

Until Alvarez can increase his contact rate, cut down the strike outs, and hit lefties, I will be avoiding...

The best thing Alvarez has going for him right now is his pedigree, but plenty of high draft picks flame out, so that doesn’t mean much. Keeper players will face a decision that will likely depend on exactly how contracts and keepers work. I wouldn’t cut him if you have him under contract, but if your league is a simple "keep X players off your roster, lose one draft pick per keeper" you can get better value out there. Redraft players should stay away until he shows he can hit something besides a fastball. There’s too much risk associated with him and too little upside when pitchers know that all they need to do is bury a slider in the dirt to get him out. If you’re still enticed by the power potential he clearly has, there are worse late-round gambles out there, but have a starter and safety in place in case he finds himself back down in Indianapolis with McGehee manning third base.

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Here's a few quick thoughts on a Friday morning:

Bill Plunkett from the Orange County Register reported last night that Angels first baseman Kendrys Morales is looking good in offseason batting practice. Here are quotes from teammate Peter Bourjos;

"I've been hitting with him every day (at the Angels' minor-league complex in Tempe, Ariz.) and he looks strong," Angels centerfielder Peter Bourjos said Wednesday. "Monday was the first time he took live BP (with a coach throwing) and he was popping them out from both sides. It is very impressive."

If Morales is healthy, he will add to the already deep first base position heading into 2012.

Yesterday, we also learned that the Dodgers did make an offer to Prince Fielder before he signed with the Tigers. The Dodgers, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, make a 7 year, $160+ million offer for Fielder which included an opt-out clause after 4 years, but apparently that was not enough for Scott Boras....err....I mean Fielder.

That news made me wonder if the Dodgers would have won the bidding for Fielder had Tigers DH Victor Martinez not tore up his knee last week. I imagine Boras took the Dodgers offer to Tigers owner Mike Ilitch to see if he would top the Dodgers offer.

More after the jump:

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Tuesday the Detroit Tigers gave a gargantuan contract to gargantuan first baseman Prince Fielder, locking him up for nine years and a whopping $214 million. With this move, the Tigers quickly proved their intention to win now and to also possibly drive every eatery in the Detroit area out of business. That got me to ponder a little question: if I were starting a keeper league, who would I rather have? Prince, or fellow big name free agent first sacker Albert Pujols?

Obviously, the keeper league dynamic changes the way you approach that question. Pujols has been unfailingly awesome since he entered the league in 2001, but he's also older and, some would argue, already giving hints that his decline phase has started. Fielder is 27 and right in his peak, but he's not, um, in the greatest shape, exactly.

So before I begin the amateur analysis...show of hands! If you were drafting a keeper league team and you were looking for a first baseman, who would you pick first? Pujols or Prince?

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