Ron Shandler has long crusaded to get rid of the wins category altogether, because it's so flukey; not sure I go along with that, but please don't pay attention to the W-L data here, because we seemed to have it screwed up. Baseball America shows McGeee with a 5-4 record in his 21 startsin Single A and a 3-2 record in his 5 starts in Double A. The rest of the stats, the ones all of us pay far more attention to until a pitcher is on our active roster, are accurate. McGee is one of the best-looking lefties in the minors, and until Feb. 24, when the complete package of the software is to be posted at www.askrotoman.com, I can hem and haw over whether he's an R1 or an R5.

Great eye, great power, no speed, 27 years old; you could value him anywhere from $25 to $35 and be able to justify it.

He dropped all the way to $1 in Sportsline. I would have said $2 if I hadn't gone into dollar derby with John Buck a few players before.

I don't remember why Byrd took the HGH, but if I remember correctly he actually had a legitimate medical reason for doing so, and his problem was that he didn't notify the league beforehand.

An R5 who, depending on your own rebuilding plans, perhaps should be an R1.

R1's are prospects who are expected to make a big impact this year, after starting in the minors. After the first round of the reserve draft, you can forget about 'em.

R5's are prospects on the far horizon who are expected to make an impact when they finally arrive. You can foget about them after the third round.

Morlan, of course, may never arrive. If he arrives as early as this year, he will likley get pounded. But he's the guy that the Twins had to cough up to get Delmon Young and he has a closer-worthy fastball-slider combo. Troy Percival and Al Ryes seem like temporary roadblocks.

"Was this just a California League illusion?" John Sickels asks.

His answer -- "Double A will tell the tale" -- is kind of lame. You don't want to waste your picks, even in Ultra leagues.

If you're in an Ultra league, you definitely want to buy the 2008 version of our software, where Chris Nelson will be unveiled a few days from now as an R4. Click on Old Timey on the comments page for a free demo.

Olsen and Hammel also just taken. I'm on deck. Will probably take at least two starting pitcher fliers with my last three reserve picks. Any further advice from the peanuts in the gallery would be appreciated.

Just weighed in with my bid. Mike Sweeney's not going to take his job but someone will if he doesn't start swinging the bat a little better. A single is better than a walk, and you might get double.

Hard to say just how much HGH helped him in 2002 and 2004. Since he was battling injuries, probably a fair amount.

Was he clean in 2005? One hopes so.

Moving from one team to another in the California League last summer (as part of the Kenny Lofton trade), he posted numbers that were as consistent as any set of numbers could possibly be. Consistently strong numbers, while, unfortunately, his work behind the platte remained weak.

"He will hit at any level," says John Sickels (www.johnsickels.net), making him an R4 in the software. Click on Old Timey on the comments page for a free demo.

I posted this under Bonser, but the Metrodome hasn't exactly been the Homerdome the last two years. Safeco supresses runs slightly but not as much as the Metrodome did. Silva's 2005-2007 splits: 3.84 ERA, .282 BAA, and 34 HR allowed in 304 2/3 IP at home; 5.24 ERA, .321 BAA, and 49 HR allowed in 266 IP on the road. Has a 3.98 ERA and a .325 BAA in 20 1/3 IP the last three years at Safeco, for what that's worth.

Reimold didn't get a spring call-up, so don't expect a Majors call-up anytime soon.

Went for $2 in Sportsline. A positive pitcher when he's healthy, but the odds on good health diminish when you're 43.

Went for $6 in the Sportsline expert auction. I hate pitchers like this who are relatively successful despite being hit-tastic, so I'll be glad if someone pushes him to $3 and I can wave goodbye. He went unauctioned in my league last year but at least two teams I can remember grabbed him at some point during the year. He'll probably get auctioned in most leagues this year, but I can see him getting dropped and picked up like a hot potato all year long. So don't pay $6.

John Sickels (www.johnsickels.net): "Overlooked prospect has tremendous power upside and a low profile, making him a possible fantasy bargain if you can wait another year."

An R4 in 2008 Patton $ On Disk, available Feb. 24 (click on the oid-time ballplayer on the comments page for a free demo).

The Metrodome isn't the Homerdome it used to be. It ranked 27th in the majors in HRs in 2007 and 25th in 2006, according to ESPN.

Here's the link. http://youtube.com/watch?v=SPB9IglzxG8

It is classic.

Rotoworld, 2/19: Manager Joe Maddon said Monday that the Rays will evaluate Eric Hinske at third base this spring.
"We want to get him some work out there and try to evaluate what we think about him as a third baseman," Maddon said. Hinske is a possible alternative to beginning the season with rookie Evan Longoria as the starter. If Longoria plays well this spring it will be a non-issue, but Hinske could work his way into some early season at-bats by showing a decent glove.

Good call, Slyke.

And now he's got even more of a problem with Mike Sweeney in camp. The fantasy sites are reporting that Johnson might not even have a spot on the roster if Sweeney's healthy.

Then Tomko, Greg Smith, and Moseley. I decided to be contrarian for one more round and took SS Donnie Murphy of the A's, since the O's starting SS looks scarier to me if he gets 500 AB than if he doesn't.

Run on pitchers. Trachsel, Davies and Eveland.