Lance Berkman

Harry How/Getty Images

With the Yankees and Red Sox once again earning the majority of the headlines this winter, the actual season has been dominated by the National League veterans. Chipper Jones is batting well over .400, and Lance Berkman is on pace for what would be his greatest season ever. Even Albert Pujols, who many predicted would be struggling due to elbow woes, has been as good as ever. We are now through a quarter of the season, which suggests that the players have been battle-tested. So, as a fantasy manager, have you been doing your homework? Let’s find out: Name That Game!

Name That Game, Part 1:

158 Games, 172 Runs, 56 HR, 160 RBI, 24 SB, .393 AVG

Which first baseman is this?

A) Lance Berkman, 1B, Houston Astros
B) Derrek Lee, 1B, Chicago Cubs
C) Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

The Player Revealed: OPTION (A) -- Lance Berkman, 1B, Houston Astros

The Past:

Perhaps due to the fact that this Killer B had the challenging task of playing at the tail end of Astros legends Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell’s careers, Berkman has not enjoyed the accolades that he deserves. Over the last eight seasons, Berkman has blasted more than 20 home runs and batted over .275 each season. He broke through in 2001, when the former first round pick knocked 34 home runs, drove in 126 runs and hit for a career best .331 average. The very next season, Berkman proved that his performance was not a fluke, as he hit 42 home runs and drove home 128 runs. After three solid seasons, Berkman established new highs in 2006, when he blasted 45 home runs and drove home 136 RBI. Last year was a bit of a downer for Berkman, as the lack of protection in the lineup certainly played a role. In fact, aside from Berkman and Carlos Lee, no other Astros hitter managed more than 18 home runs, nor scored as many as 70 runs. 

When the Astros brought in a seemingly over-the-hill Miguel Tejada to play shortstop, and perhaps a one-year wonder in Kaz Matsui to play second base, fantasy managers assumed that they would have another solid, but not spectacular season from Berkman.  To the surprise of many, the Astros have enjoyed a fine start, thanks to the fine hitting by Tejada, the speed of Michael Bourn, a recent spark by Matsui, and some timely power by Lee. However, the overwhelming story of the year in Houston has been the greatest start ever by Lance Berkman. He is currently on pace to put up Lou Gehrig-type numbers. While those statistics might come down to earth a bit, this is a slugger who has proven that he can belt 45 home runs and hit for a splendid average.  Now that he has a respectable lineup around him, the 32-year-old may enjoy a career season. Congratulations if you grabbed this guy in the second or third round of your fantasy draft. Considering there is no way he will be able to maintain these numbers, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to trade him while his value is at an all-time high. 

Name That Game, Part 2:

156 Games, 120 Runs, 48 HR, 116 RBI, 4 SB, .294 AVG

Which second baseman is this?

A) Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies
B) Dan Uggla, 2B, Florida Marlins
C) Brandon Phillips, 2B, Cincinnati Reds

The Player Revealed: OPTION (B) -- Dan Uggla, 2B, Florida Marlins

The Past:

This Memphis Tiger has shocked baseball fans in each of his previous two seasons with unexpected power.  In the Minor Leagues, the former 11th-round pick never hit more than 23 homeruns, yet in his rookie campaign, he swatted 27 home runs to finish third in the race for Rookie of the Year. The very next season, Uggla proved the power was not a fluke. He blasted 31 home runs and scored 113 runs. The greatest flaw in Uggla’s game is his inability to make contact all that often. Last year, he whiffed on 167 occasions, which played a role in his .245 average. In addition, while most fantasy managers pick up speed from their middle infielders, Uggla offered just two steals a season ago. This is your typical all-or-nothing hitter, who happens to be doing it at an atypical position.

The Future:

This season, fantasy managers pointed to the loss of Miguel Cabrera in the Marlins lineup and assumed that somehow, Uggla’s power would diminish. Apparently, Uggla disagrees. On Sunday, the Marlins second baseman belted two home runs. The very next day, Uggla made it 4 homeruns in a three-game span. With Hanley Ramirez and Jeremy Hermida at the top of the lineup, there's still plenty of offense in the Marlins order and plenty of players for Uggla to drive home. In fact, Uggla is expected to drive in more base runners than he has in the past, now that Cabrera is in Detroit, and Uggla is the team’s best power hitter. At 28 years old, Uggla should be reaching his prime. The stocky second baseman suits a fantasy team with a speed demon such as Michael Bourn or Carlos Gomez in the outfield. With Uggla on your fantasy roster, you will enjoy the bonus of a power-hitting second baseman, but you will have to resort to other positions to keep up in steals. 

Name That Game, Part 3:

144 Games, 92 Runs, 20 HR, 68 RBI, 4 SB, .278 AVG

Which shortstop is this?

A) Michael Young, SS, Texas Rangers
B) Yunel Escobar, SS, Atlanta Braves
C) Stephen Drew, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks

The Player Revealed: OPTION (C) -- Stephen Drew, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks

The Past:

After starring at Florida State, there was no question that Stephen Drew was considered a top-five talent in his draft class, however, with Scott Boras as his agent, and a family tradition of tough contract negotiations, the Diamondbacks were able to grab the talented shortstop with the 15th pick of the 2004 season. Though he has largely been considered a five-tool talent, Drew has not offered the speed that many baseball experts predicted. In his rookie campaign in 2006, Drew hit for average (.316), and showed some power with 25 extra-base hits in just 59 games played. Last year Drew struggled with a .238 average, but he did set career highs with 12 home runs, 60 RBI, and nine stolen bases. Entering this season, Drew was a sleeper candidate, but with Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez and Jimmy Rollins setting the standard at shortstop, and more proven commodities such as Derek Jeter, Miguel Tejada, Rafael Furcal and even Troy Tulowitzki playing shortstop, Drew was not expected to be a fantasy starter this season thanks to the rare offensive depth at the most demanding defensive position. 

The Future:

At 25 years old, the future appears bright for Drew. However, fantasy significance might not be too far down the road. In an effort to build his confidence with more run-producing opportunities, Bob Melvin has moved Drew to the second spot of the order. The talented shortstop has managed a hit in nine of the past 10 games, including five multi-hit performances. With Tulowitzki and Furcal injured, Drew’s recent improvement couldn’t come at a better time for many fantasy managers. While his big swings may have him inconsistent in average, Drew should contribute with fine power at the position. Unfortunately, any stolen base should be considered a bonus, as Drew has yet to establish himself on the basepaths. Twenty homeruns with a .270 average would be a fine step towards improvement for Drew this season. 

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