In 28 games of the 2008 season, outfielder Josh Hamilton has already tallied 32 RBIs for the Rangers.

John Biever/SI

The difference between reality and fantasy couldn't be better displayed than the performance from Mets southpaw Oliver Perez on Wednesday afternoon. The hurler was horrific, and a large part of the Mets 13-1 debacle. In the fantasy world, the performance could have been much worse. Sure, Perez was tagged for seven runs in less than two innings of work. The good news is that just two of those runs were earned. As a result, his ERA took a modest bump from 3.62 to 4.03. Fantasy managers dodged a bullet in that game.

The same could not be said about former Mets hurler Brian Bannister. The Royals ace allowed seven runs in three innings of work in the hitter's haven at Texas. His ERA spiked from 2.48 to 4.04. It's just another reminder of how fantasy sports is all about numbers. On that note, we are now 18 percent through the major league season. Let's see if you can Name the Game of some of the game's fantasy stars.

Name That Game, Part 1:

154 Games, 88 Runs, 33 HR, 176 RBI, 0 SB, .330 AVG

Which outfielder is this?

A) Josh Hamilton, OF, Texas Rangers
B) Lance Berkman, OF, Houston Astros
C) Manny Ramirez, OF, Boston Red Sox

The Player Revealed: OPTION (A): Josh Hamilton, OF, Texas Rangers

The Past:

By now we all know the story. Hamilton dominates in high school. The Tampa Rays make him the first overall pick in 1999. In his first two seasons of minor league baseball, Hamilton combines for 23 homeruns, 116 RBIs, and .306 average in 168 games played. He is then injured in a car accident and rehabilitates in Florida. There he becomes addicted to drugs. The combination of lingering injuries and drug violations keep him out of baseball the next few seasons. In 2006, Hamilton is reinstated to the major leagues. After playing in the minors, a knee injury ends his season prematurely. By '07, the Rays lose patience in their former bonus baby. The Cubs grab him in the Rule 5 Draft, then trade him to Cincinnati. Last season, Hamilton finally makes his major league debut. Hamilton belts 19 home runs with a .292 average in just 90 games played. His sensational season attracts some attention for the Rookie of the Year honor. The Reds are overwhelmed by a trade proposal for pitching prospects and send Hamilton to Texas the very next offseason. 

The Future:

At the age of 26, it is not too late for Hamilton to evolve into the star that everyone predicted he would become. The good news is that he remains in a pitcher's park as the Ballpark Of Arlington is as hitter-friendly as any in the major leagues. Though he is not a speed demon, Hamilton is certainly a power threat who can blast line drives at will. His 30-homer potential is certainly in the bag, as is a high average and plenty of RBIs. Placed in the middle of a stacked lineup that includes Michael Young, Ian Kinsler and Milton Bradley, Hamilton will likely evolve as the power bat in the middle of the Rangers order.  As long as he can stay healthy, something that he has yet to accomplish in his career, Hamilton can evolve as one of the game's best sluggers. By season's end, Hamilton should rank as one of the top 30 hitters in the game. 

Name That Game, Part 2:

143 Games, 132 Runs, 28 HR, 138 RBI, 6 SB, .348 AVG

Which first baseman is this?

A) Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals
B) David Ortiz, 1B, Boston Red Sox
C) Conor Jackson, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks

The Player Revealed: OPTION (C): Conor Jackson, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks

The Past:

Drafted out of California in the first round of the '03 draft, Jackson always enjoyed prospect status; however, he had a disturbing weakness that scared away many fantasy managers. After four seasons of professional ball, Jackson had never displayed much power. In the minor leagues, the first baseman had never belted more than 17 home runs.  In the major, despite a respectable rookie season that included 15 home runs, 79 RBIs, and a .291 average, he was never considered to be anything more than a mix between Sean Casey and Lyle Overbay. In his second season, Jackson once again hit 15 homeruns, though he did miss 32 games of play. With a premium on power from the corner infield spots, Jackson was likely available in most fantasy drafts, or on the bench in deeper leagues. Until he can belt 25 or more home runs, flirting around .300 is not enough to warrant fantasy significance. 

The Future:

Though he does have a few years of major league service under his belt, people tend to forget that Jackson is still very young. At the age of 25, there is still plenty of time for the power to develop, and '08 is starting to look like the year that he is able to put it all together. Jackson is off to a sensational start. Through 88 at-bats, he has only whiffed on seven occasions, and his power has already led to five doubles, a career-high three triples, and five home runs. Jackson may even be force-fed power numbers, batting cleanup in a talented young lineup that includes future stars Chris Young, Justin Upton and Stephen Drew, as well as the talented veterans Eric Byrnes and Orlando Hudson. There seems to always be runners on base when Jackson steps to the plate. Expect a spike of 10 homeruns this season, as Jackson should reach 25 home runs by season's end. More impressive will be his run production, as Jackson should be expected to reach triple digits in runs and RBI. Fantasy managers should not lose their patience with Jackson anytime soon. He is still very young and can develop into a 30-homerun hitter.  With better numbers than David Ortiz, Prince Fielder, and Ryan Howard right now, Jackson should be starting in just about every fantasy league throughout the nation. 

Name That Game, Part 3:

150 Games, 84 Runs, 12 HR, 96 RBI, 24 SB, .318 AVG

Which outfielder is this?

A) Johnny Damon, OF, ST. New York Yankees
B) Delmon Young, OF, Minnesota Twins
C) Matt Kemp, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Player Revealed: OPTION (C): Matt Kemp, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Past:

There are not many Major Leaguers who enjoyed the hot start to their careers that Kemp has. The only problem for fantasy managers are the Los Angeles Dodgers managers who have failed to put Kemp in the starting lineup every single day. Kemp, just 23 years old, has only accumulated 529 major league at bats in two-plus seasons. During that span he has 91 runs, 19 home runs, 81 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. Best of all, after hitting .342 last season, Kemp boasts a career average of .311. There are still some flaws to Kemp's game. He rarely reaches base via the walk (four walks in 88 at-bats this season), and he strikes out way too often (24 Ks in 25 games played). Considering his youth, it is certainly surprising that Kemp has thus far played the role of a utility player in his major league career, however, the numbers that he has accomplished suggest that the lack of consistent playing time has not had a negative toll on the former sixth-round pick out of high school. For an idea of his potential, the last season that Kemp enjoyed regular playing time was in '05, when he played 109 games in Single A. The then-20 year old blasted 27 home runs and stole 23 bases, to complement a .306 average. 

The Future:

The only way to figure out how good Kemp can be requires some consistent playing time and a solid 500 at bats in the season. He has proven to be a solid average hitter, and he has impressed us with his speed and power. The problem that the Dodgers continue to face is their desire to split the playing time amongst a number of players, rather than simply start their young guns. Joining Kemp in the outfield last season was young talent Andre Ethier, and veterans Juan Pierre and Luis Gonzalez. This season, the Dodgers were wise to allow Gonzalez to leave, but they then brought in former Braves star Andruw Jones to play centerfield. Thus far Jones has struggled the most, while Pierre has been hampered by injuries, allowing Joe Torre to dodge the tough decisions. The good news is that Torre is very established and helped groom Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams into stars. You can expect this season to be the first of many for Kemp to enjoy 500 at-bats. The result could very well be a 20-20 with solid average and run production.  Even in a 10-team fantasy league, Kemp deserves to start.

Rob Shaw is the lead expert for FantasyFanatics.com, the premier fantasy sports community