STEPHEN STRASBERG

He's a load. And the likely first pick in the draft this year, if his arm holds up. And (I have to brag) one of the players I drafted last year in my own fantasy league.

Just thought I'd mention that my wife's nephew (Wes Dorrell) has taken both him and Brian Matusz deep, and was robbed of two round-trippers today: once by likely first-round pick Blake Smith, who went over the wall in fourth to snag a ball and once by the umpire, who ruled (incorrectly) that Smith later caught a line drive at the fence, then fumbled the exchange. Reliable sources tell me that 'Blue' owned up to his goof (which occured with two out) after the game. Typical luck for my nephew, who still finished with three hits today after homering yesterday.

Since the difference between a top pick and a mid-range draft pick is as much as $2million where the signing bonus is concerned, I figure that every game that Wes goes 3-for-5 with an extra-base hit, he raises his stock about $25-30,000. And, of course, every oh-fer costs him about the same amount.