When healthy, Chase Utley is the game's best second baseman.

Catchers – Carlos Ruiz, Chris Coste

Carlos Ruiz had a respectable debut season in 2007. He is one of the better defensive catchers in the game, especially against the stolen base, having erased 31% of the runners attempting steals. Ruiz has a decent skill set and he should build on last year’s performance. Look for the power to come along this season – maybe a dozen home runs and a .285 average, and as a bonus 5-10 steals. Chris Coste will not play enough for fantasy purposes, but should Ruiz get injured, Coste has shown he can hit for average with at least as much power as his partner.

First Base – Ryan Howard, Wes Helms, Greg Dobbs

Ryan Howard probably deserves the mantle as the most fearsome home run hitter in the game. Most projections have him breaking the 50 home run barrier again this season, while maintaining an average above .300. Greg Dobbs is the right-handed pinch hitter off the bench, a role he handles very well, and Howard’s backup at first base. He is not a fantasy worthy player. The Phillies will likely trade or release Wes Helms by the end of Spring Training, as the team does not have a job for him now that they have signed Pedro Feliz.

Middle Infielders – Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Eric Bruntlett

Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins are probably the most potent one-two punch fantasy middle infield there is. Utley put up 22 home runs, 104 runs, and 103 runs batted in, even though he missed six weeks of the season with a broken hand. He is in a class by himself at second base. Rollins is ranked as the top shortstop in baseball by many, and will be aiming for another 30/30 season. Eric Bruntlett will not see enough at-bats to matter for fantasy purposes. His best asset is his speed. If he does end up playing due to an injury to someone, he could be a hidden source of steals.

Third Base – Pedro Feliz

Pedro Feliz has seen his production decline in each of the last two seasons, and his skill set indicates that we should expect more of the same. However, relocating to the friendly confines of Citizens Bank Park, and hitting in a Phillies lineup that is far better than any lineup the Giants have fielded in recent years, should help Feliz at least a little bit. Still, do not expect a batting average much higher than about .260, and maybe 15-20 dingers.

Outfielders – Shane Victorino, Geoff Jenkins, Pat Burrell, So Taguchi, Jayson Werth

Shane Victorino was a pleasant surprise in fantasy last season, as he hit for a decent average, had more home runs than expected, and was well on his way to 40 stolen bases before leg injuries slowed him down. The power is not real, so a dozen home runs is about his ceiling, but the speed is very real, and I would be disappointed if he ended up with less than 40 thefts this year.

Pat Burrell came on strong in the second half last year. After Chase Utley broke his hand, Burrell literally strapped the Phillies to his back and carried them through the six weeks Utley was gone. He is in his walk year, so he is playing for his next contract, which may or may not be with the Phillies. In fact, this could finally be the year the team gets rid of him, as they annually have threaten, especially if they have other needs at the trade deadline, and he is not producing as he should. Fantasy-wise, he has all kinds of crazy upside and he could finally be on track if he picks up where he left off in September.

Geoff Jenkins is not all that different from Burrell, except that he is more brittle and therefore gets hurt more, and he has somewhat less power. He should enjoy a little boost from playing at Citizens Bank Park, which should result in about 20 home runs, with about a .270 average.

So Taguchi and Jayson Werth will handle the No. 4 and No. 5 outfielder roles, with neither getting enough playing time to be fantasy worthy.

Starting Rotation – Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Kyle Kendrick, Adam Eaton, Jamie Moyer, J.D. Durbin

Pitching was a bit of an issue for the Phillies last season, and next to nothing was done to address the problem this winter. Brett Myers returns to the rotation after spending most of last season as the closer, a role he wanted to continue. However, Phillies management added Brad Lidge instead, and they are hoping that Myers can transition back into the ace he once was for them. Myers is a risky fantasy play, but he does have plenty of upside, especially in the strikeout category. File him under the high-risk, high-reward category on your cheat sheets, and pick/bid accordingly.

Cole Hamels is the pitcher on the staff who could emerge as the ace, given the steps forward he made last season. He could easily win 15-18 games this year, and I like him to break the 200 mark in strikeouts. Of course, all that is predicated on him staying healthy all year and making 30-35 starts, a feat he has yet to accomplish.

Kyle Kendrick is a young gun who still needs to prove he is capable of pitching at this level. He is not a strong fantasy play yet. Jamie Moyer is an ageless, innings-eating machine, but not someone you want on your fantasy team. As far as Adam Eaton goes, I cannot stress enough just how far, far away you need to stay from him. At this point, he is little more than fantasy poison

Bullpen – Brad Lidge, Tom Gordon, J.C. Romero, Ryan Madson, Scott Mathieson, Clay Condrey, Mike Zagurski, Francisco Rosario, Chad Durbin

Adding Brad Lidge should help to stabilize the bullpen for the Phillies after the sheer turmoil of last season. Then again, Lidge struggled at times for the Astros, and lost his closer’s job on more than one occasion. All of which should tell you that Tom Gordon, and possibly Ryan Madson, may still have some value for saves. Both will certainly get their shots at vulture wins, so they both bear watching as the season progresses. The remainder of the bullpen squad needs to be determined as of this writing, though there really is nobody there expected to make an impact as far as the fantasy game is concerned.

Projected Lineup

Jimmy Rollins, Shortstop
Shane Victorino, Center Fielder
Chase Utley, Second Base
Ryan Howard, First Base
Pat Burrell, Left Field
Geoff Jenkins, Right Field
Pedro Feliz, Third Base
Carlos Ruiz, Catcher

Starting Rotation

Brett Myers
Cole Hamels
Kyle Kendrick
Jamie Moyer
Adam Eaton

Closer

Brad Lidge

Next in Line

Tom Gordon