Jorge Posada

Going into each season we wonder. We wonder what rookies will step up and make a name for themselves. We wonder which teams will fall flat on their faces and even which teams will shock the world.

We rarely wonder which of the players on our team is going to take a nosedive in terms of production. We try not to wonder which of our favorite players may just be entering "stiffdom". That's why I'm here.

Moving out from behind the plate and working exclusively as the Yankees DH, Jorge Posada was supposed to be fantasy gold.  Despite being 39 years old, a player with his upside, coupled with being eligible at catcher…people were drooling over the potential for him to produce massive power while playing every day.

The power has been there, but the rest of the numbers have certainly disappointed:

What is a sleeper? 

Ask your league mates, and you'll probably get a different answer from each of them.

To me, a sleeper is a player, no matter the pedigree, that I think is set to far outproduce expectations due to a relatively low ADP. 

With rare exceptions, these players won't go for more than $5 in any auction.  

Fantasy baseball is a game of profits and losses, sound investments and colossal mistakes. 

I am finally at the end of my series examining the relative strengths and weaknesses of the teams in the AL East, on a position-by-position basis. The players at each position have been ranked in relation to their peers within the division, with each team being assigned points based on where their player ranks in comparison to the other players.

Today, the series concludes with a look at the Designated Hitters.

The best player will earn 10 points for his team, with the remaining players being assigned points as follows: 7-5-3-1.

Ted Simmons ranks among the better offensive catchers in baseball history. Simmons appeared in 1,770 games as a catcher and in 40 games as an outfielder. He was the designated hitter 276 times and pinch-hit 216 times.

Over 21 seasons, Simmons hit .285, with a .348 on-base average and a .437 slugging average. If Simmons had been a solid defensive catcher, he would be in the Hall of Fame.

Gary Carter (lifetime .262/.335/.439) had some solid offensive seasons, but he also had some poor ones.

We’ve tried to fill the offseason gap in fantasy baseball with our series of prospect reports, which started with Dustin Ackley back in early-December.

Now on the cusp of Spring Training starting (pitchers and catchers report in less than two weeks), it is time to put a wrap on the prospect series so we can get right into the swing of things prepping for our, and your, fantasy baseball drafts.

Is anybody else convinced that Jorge Posada is so not on board with this full-time DH thing?

Po's been the Yankees' resident lovable curmudgeon for 15 years. He's not exactly the personality type that embraces change. And nothing good can come from change when you're a 39 year old catcher.

Since I first did this list, several catchers have changed teams (while the biggest name was Victor Martinez, players like John Buck, Miguel Olivo and others also packed their bags).  Let’s take a look at the impact of these moves on our rankings for the upcoming year:

The New York Yankees have to divert whatever attention is left from all the Cliff Lee drama, but there is no denying the painful disappointment still lingers.

Losing Kerry Wood to the Chicago Cubs was unexpected, but the signing of former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Russell Martin gave the first ray of hope thus far in this offseason.

Why is signing Russell Martin such a positive? For two reasons:

       Will he’ll be the third best shortstop on the team in a couple years?  Sure.  Don’t his career numbers make him a rich man’s Craig Biggio?  Of course.  But the Yankees need Derek Jeter as much as the Yankee captain needs the pinstripes.  The Yankees are built on quiet professionalism and championship legacy, and no player, now or on the horizon (sorry, Robinson Cano), represents the Yankee brand like Derek Jeter.