Another important key to the 2009 Cardinals is the continued dominance of right fielder Ryan Ludwick. He simply murdered the ball all season last year, and is expected to have an even better year this time around. Those are awfully lofty expectations of a player that has never shown that type of hitting prowess in the past. It seems nearly impossible for him to repeat his performance last season. To be fair, however, we all said that he would slow down all of last year. He never did.

If you put that type of hitter in the same lineup with Albert Pujols, runs will not be a problem. The Cardinals also picked up free swinging shortstop Khalil Greene. Greene is a player that might just prosper in the St Louis after coming over from the Padres spacious confines. Look for Greene to hit plenty of home runs, but have a low average overall. Still, he should add some run production to the mix.

Rick Ankiel is another wild card. The story of Ankiel is old news to many, but it is still remarkable. He started as a pitcher and after falling out of favor at that, he moved to the outfield and worked his way up. He is now one of the most feared power bats in the National League. If he can find that groove that he gets into sometimes, the Cardinals will be tough to outscore.

The one major question mark for the Cardinals is the starting pitching. They have some outstanding talent with Adam Wainwright, Joel Pineiro, Chris Carpenter, Kyle Lohse, and Todd Wellemeyer. Each of these starters have shown they can be dominant, though each of them have also shown themselves to be up and down. They all have suffered through injuries as well. How well they rebound, and how many of them are “on” during a given stretch will largely determine the Cardinals fate.

St Louis should be able to score enough runs to win on any given night, and the pitching is highly capable of producing outstanding starts each time out. The pieces are in place, and they could be ready to contend once again. If Ankiel and Ludwick continue to perform, then this team might be the one to beat in the National League.

Winning your fantasy baseball season is all about finding those diamonds in the rough that is about to have a breakout year. Nick Markakis, the young Baltimore Oriole that just signed on long term, is a perfect example of a good value pick. What makes Nick Markakis a good bargain? Lets take a look:
Markakis plays for a team that is on the rise offensively, and is in prime position to be a large contributor. Last season, he hit .306, with 20 HRs and 87 RBIs. He stole 10 bases, and scored 106 runs. Additionally, he had 182 hits. Certainly these numbers are pretty solid, but you must look closer.

Markakis is young at only 25 years of age. He actually had an off year last year at first glance. His homers went down from the previous season, as well as RBIs and steals. This is a flag for many fantasy owners that do not pay close attention. Markakis did move backwards in these areas, but it was not because he had a bad year. He became much more selective at the plate, and actually raised his slugging percentage and average. This translates into a huge breakout year this season as Markakis will start to put it all together.

Is this plan iron clad? Of course not, but all the signs are there. 25 is about the right age where the stars begin to truly insert the big seasons into their baseball resume, and the production is solid already. Also, Markakis just signed a long term deal with the Orioles so his place in the lineup is secure and he can relax. The best part of this whole scenario for fantasy baseball owners is that you will likely be able to steal Markakis or acquire him for very little if you get him before the season starts.

Markakis is what is often referred to as a pinball player. He seems to put up something every single time he plays in the way of fantasy baseball points and value. He rarely puts out a goose egg, and he plays really hard. If you want a fantasy baseball steal, then put Markakis on your board just a few notches higher on your cheat sheet. You can thank me at the end of the baseball season.

David Wright – Wright has been percolating for a couple of years now, and seems to be just about ready to explode. Some would argue that he already has, but I say he has more to offer than he has already given. Wright is going to have a huge year, and will only benefit from the improvement that is blossoming around the team. Wright will be huge this season.

Hanley Ramirez – Ramirez really grew on me last year. I picked him with the number one pick a year ago, and was a bit disappointed at midseason. Then, he caught fire in every category and the rest of the year his numbers were like pinball points. He is one fun stat line to read each morning, and very deserving of being drafted anywhere you please. He is surely a number one potential pick, and rightfully so.

Albert Pujols – Pujols is the guy that everybody wants, and expects huge numbers from year after year. The difference with Pujols is, you end up with even more than you hoped for most of the time. Usually there is a letdown, but not with Pujols. He is apparently healthy going into this season, and should be ready to go when the rawhide starts flying. Look out National League pitching.

Jose Reyes – Reyes is one of the best players in the game and is so fast that he seems like he is on ice skates. The guy can hit too, which makes him a multi-category threat like all the others on this list. This season I think Reyes moves up a slot or two due to maturity, and a better approach at the plate. He seems like he has something to prove as well.

Alex Rodriguez – A-roid has slid a bit on the list this year, but he is still a powerful force. The arrival of Teixiera can only help Rodriguez as far as getting good pitches and pressure relief, but A-rod has really shot himself in the tail with stress. Nobody can sit under those bright New York Yankee lights and not eventually crack under the glare. A-rod brought this Yankee pressure on himself. A great start to the year would do wonders to dim those lights a bit.

Ryan Braun – Anybody that followed baseball last year knows the potential that this guy has. During the nightly Sportscenter, it seemed that Braun would be on there hitting a light tower home run every single night. This guy is fun to watch, and will be a great fantasy ball player this year.

Grady Sizemore – Sizemore makes this spot simply based on the fact that he is entering the prime of his career, and can do it all. He showed last year that he was not a one year wonder. Sizemore is going to be even better this year with a bit of confidence behind him. He knows that he is among the best, and now he will take another step up the fantasy baseball points ladder.