Rafael Furcal had to be carted off the field during an exhibition game last Thursday after he collided with Jason Repko running down a pop fly.The Baltimore Sun reported that Furcal suffered an ankle sprain and could start the season on the DL.

Are you wondering why you always end up near the bottom of the standings in your fantasy league? Or why you always come up short of first place? Every year, you have your best draft yet but you can never reach the Promised Land. If this describes you, then you probably haven't been doing all you can with the waiver wire.

It has been said repeatedly that leagues are won in the middle rounds of a draft. As much as I want to buy into that thinking, it's not the sole reason why certain league managers do well year after year. Yes it helps to have a solid draft, but it's the adding and dropping of players throughout the year that will make the difference in your league. After an hour and a half of crucial draft day decisions, you are left with only the occasional (if any) trade and the waiver wire to alter your team.

Over the course of what seems like a very long season (not to some which includes this writer), there comes a time when you must decide to replace the busts from your draft with hot rookies and surprising veterans. Playing catch up in fantasy baseball is a daunting task and the longer you wait to improve your team, the harder it is to make up ground.

If what I described is your typical season in a nutshell, then look no further. Sports Grumblings is here to help and it starts next Friday, April 9th with a weekly edition titled "Waiver Worth". It will hi-light the top waiver pick-ups of the week and at the same time will also note the top waiver "fodder" players who you should cut bait on. Take action before somebody else does!

For this week only though, I will break down some of the issues that will lead us into the season; injuries, position battles and the back end of the rotation.

Key injuries leading into the season

• Rafael Furcal had to be carted off the field during an exhibition game last Thursday after he collided with Jason Repko running down a pop fly.The Baltimore Sun reported Furcal suffered an ankle sprain and could be lost for significant time.If it pans out this way, Wilson Betemit could move over from third base to shortstop, allowing Andy LaRoche or James Loney to make the big-league team. (If Loney's the choice, Nomar Garciaparra most likely moves over to play third.) Wilson Valdez would probably be the other option at short. As to who will lead off, it will undoubtedly be Juan Pierre (as it should have been from day one anyway).Pierre's value rises slightly although I don't think he would have suffered much in the stolen base department hitting second anyways.

• The shot heard around the word.No it wasn't Bobby Richardson's famed homerun in 1951 that won the World Series for the Giants against the Dodgers.It was the collective moan coming from Fantasy Nation last Thursday from Chone Figgins owners when they discovered Figgins suffered a chip fracture at the tip of his right middle finger and would not only be lost for Opening Day, but would be lost for 5-6 weeks. Maicer Izturis figures to gather any third-base starts that Figgins misses and suddenly Erick Aybar is now likely to make the big-league team out of camp. Neither is worth any waiver wire consideration at this time with perhaps only Izturis in deeper AL-only leagues

• As reported last week, and speculated by many prior to the decision, the Red Sox have decided Jonathan Papelbon will be moved from the rotation back to the bullpen. This shouldn't come as much of a shock considering the other relief options the Red Sox were looking at and the incredible success Papelbon endured last year in that role.However, should Boston stick to this plan, it not only means that Julian Tavarez jumps from the bullpen to the fifth spot in the rotation, but it consequently opens the door to a possible Roger Clemens/Red Sox reunion.The more realistic scenario has Papelbon keeping the seat warm for the time being as it now affords the team more time to explore other options via a trade.

• The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Thursday that Joe Mauer has been diagnosed with a "stress reaction" in his left leg. The paper says that Mauer "will be treated with a bone stimulator and physical therapy and will be re-evaluated on Sunday." The paper also reports, "A stress reaction is considered a precursor to a stress fracture. The Twins say they are optimistic that the condition was diagnosed early enough to keep it from becoming a serious long-term problem." Now I'm not a doctor by any stretch of the imagination, but this doesn't sound good whatsoever.This may very well lead to a chronic problem all season long thus making his early pick in drafts this Spring a bad decision strictly on bad luck.If you're one of those unfortunate souls, you have no choice but to "hope for the best but expect the worst."

• The L.A. Times reports that Jered Weaver is now expected to miss two turns through the Angels' rotation, not one. Dustin Moseley is expected to pitch in Weaver's place both times is not worthy of any consideration for either start.

• The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Rich Aurilia's strained groin prompted Manager Bruce Bochy to say he will miss at least one week, casting doubt on his readiness for Opening Day.

Position battle pictures getting clearer

• The St. Petersburg Times reports that manager Joe Maddon announced he plans on sitting Akinori Iwamura against "tough lefthanders" this year. This affects all fantasy owners who took a chance on this rookie with hopes of "finding lightning in a bottle", as Iwamura won't play every single day. The more telling aspect of Maddon's assertion is that it sounds like Iwamura has pretty much won the third-base job despite a crummy spring….Yippee!

• First baseman Travis Lee asked for and was granted his unconditional release by the Nationals. Lee, who had been competing with Dmitri Young for the starting job at first base while Nick Johnson recovers from a broken leg, told GM Jim Bowden he doesn't want to play anymore. Young, who was recently recalled when rookie Larry Broadway was sent down after struggling mightily this spring, still has pop in his bat and will be the everyday 1B until Johnson is ready in June, or Broadway proves worthy of a call-up from Triple-A. Consider Young an intriguing comeback player candidate in deeper NL-only leagues.

• The Rocky Mountain News reports that rookie Troy Tulowitzki has won the Rockies' starting shortstop job over Clint Barmes.Tulowitzki could come in handy for mixed-leaguers as a backup at short or middle infield. If he's still available, you may want to think about taking a flyer on him should he get off to a decent start this season. The decision has virtually pushed Barmes out of Denver as the 3-year veteran was re-assigned to Triple-A Colorado Springs recently.He may have some value should either the Cubs or Royals acquire him in a trade. The Cubs are looking for help at second base, while the Royals are looking at him for help at shortstop.

Back end of the rotations and how it affects week 1

• Yankee's ace Chien-Ming Wang (hamstring) will start the season on the DL and is expected to be sidelined at least a month. Everyone in the rotation moves up a spot with the 5th spot to be occupied by Jeff Karstens; who had a decent spring and was vying for a spot prior to the injury.

• The New York Mets sent Chan Ho Park to the bullpen last Saturday, cutting down the competition for their No. 5 starter. The move cleared the way for top prospect Mike Pelfrey to claim the final spot in the rotation. Pelfrey still should be on rosters in long-term keeper and NL-only leagues, but should also be looked at in mixed leagues in the event he gets off to a good start.

• White Sox rookie John Danks has won the job as Chicago's fifth starter. Danks, acquired as part of the trade last December that sent Brandon McCarthy to Texas, should still be owned in long-term keeper leagues, but should now be scooped up in most AL-only leagues. Mixed leagues owners might also want to take a chance on the potential AL Rookie of the Year candidate.

• Converted closer/reliever Braden Looper has made the Cardinals' opening-day rotation. Looper is a SP sleeper in deeper leagues, especially because the Cardinals are a top contender with a good offense. He will likely hold a rotation spot until Mark Mulder (shoulder) is ready in June.