Matt Capps is a solid fantasy closer who will make the most of his limited save opportunities this season.

Catchers – Ronny Paulino, Ryan Doumit

Paulino is the starter, but Doumit will find his way into the lineup because he can play the corner outfield spots as well as first base. Doumit will bat .270-.280, hit 10-15 home runs and drive in 50-60 runs in that role. Paulino is better defensively, which gives him the starting nod, and he should post similar numbers to that of Doumit.

First Base – Adam LaRoche, Doug Mientkiewicz, Chris Gomez

LaRoche started terribly last season but rebounded well in the second half to post respectable power numbers. Expect more inconsistent hitting from him this year, as he will once again be a very streaky player. Somewhere along the lines of a .270-.280 batting average with 25-30 home runs, 80-90 runs batted in, and 70-80 runs scored.  Mientkiewicz and Gomez are offensively challenged and are not fantasy options in 2008.

Middle Infielders – Jack Wilson, Freddy Sanchez, Josh Wilson, Chris Gomez, Ray Olmedo

Wilson is solid at best. His number will be average across the board for a National League shortstop: 10-12 home runs, 50-60 runs batted in, with 60-70 runs and a .280-.290 batting average.  Sanchez had a down year last year, leading some people to believe that his .344 batting average in 2006 was a fluke. He battled a leg injury last year but still hit over .300. I’d normally say to expect a bounce back year from Freddy, but he’s still having injury issues this spring and it is not clear whether he will start the season on the DL or not. I would pencil him in for a .300-.310 batting average with 10-15 home runs and 75-80 runs scored if his health issues don’t get in the way.  He’s a risky draft target.  Wilson and Olmedo are not worth adding to your draft lists.

Third Base – Jose Bautista, Chris Gomez, Ray Olmedo, Neil Walker

Bautista strikes out a little too much to hit at the top of the order, so expect him to hit seventh or eighth in the batting order. He does have a little power, having hit at least 15 home runs in each of the past two seasons. He should hit another 15-20 bombs, drive in 50-60 runs, but his batting average will not push much past .250-.255.  Gomez will make the team in a utility role.  Walker is their third baseman of the future and is not expected to break camp with the big club this spring.

Outfielders – Jason Bay, Xavier Nady, Nyger Morgan, Nate McLouth, Ryan Doumit, Chris Duffy, Andrew McCutchen, Steven Pearce, Kevin Thompson

Bay and Nady will occupy left field and right field, respectively. Bay turned in his worst professional season in 2007, hitting only 21 home runs and driving in only 84 runs. These numbers seem to be an aberration, and most people think he will return to form this year. I am one of those people; 25-30 home runs and 95-105 runs batted in to go with a .275-.280 batting average seem reasonable. He should chip in 7-10 steals too, if he feels like running again.  Nady, the talk of several trades this offseason, will be counted on to turn in a solid, yet unspectacular year: .280-.290 batting average, 15-20 home runs, and 70-80 runs batted in. He does not move particularly well on the base paths, so do not expect more than a steal or two. Morgan and McLouth will compete for the starting center field job. Whoever wins the job will assuredly bat leadoff. They are both lefthanded hitters – McLouth has more power, but Morgan has more speed. This seems like a real coin toss that only Spring Training play can decide.  Pearce and McCutchen are prospects, but McCutchen is the one to keep your eye on. He could push for a job this spring and could force the club to make a decision on him sooner than they expected. He has loads of talent across the board.

Starting Rotation – Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny, Paul Maholm, Zach Duke, Matt Morris, John Van Benschoten, Phil Dumatrait

The first five on this list are clearly the starting five for the 2008 Pirates, and the club will likely start Gorzelanny opening day in order to alternate the three lefthanders. Morris gives the club the veteran it needs to stabilize an otherwise young rotation. He should be nothing more than an innings eater. Gorzelanny and Snell are clearly the two best of the group, both having pitched over 200 innings last year. Both should post win totals around 13-16 with earned run averages a shade over 4.00, but Snell appears to have slightly more value because he could strike out 180-190 batters to Gorzelanny's 140-150.  Maholm and Duke are young, crafty lefthanders who should perform rather well outside the spotlight.

Bullpen – Matt Capps, Damaso Marte, John Grabow, Evan Meek, Romulo Sanchez, Franquelis Osoria, Sean Burnett, Jonah Bayliss, Brian Bullington, Juan Perez

Capps and Marte are the only fantasy options in this bullpen. Capps is the closer; he saved 18 games last year and posted a very solid 2.28 earned run average in 79 innings. He has a great arm, so expect more of the same: he will tally 20-25 saves, and though he will not strike out a batter per inning he will give you a solid earned run average of 3.30-3.40 and a WHIP of 1.15-1.20. Marte, once a situational lefthander, has turned himself into a solid reliever no matter whom he is facing. If he were to pitch 50 innings he could strike out 50-60 batters on his way to a 3.25-3.50 earned run average with a WHIP of about 1.25-1.40.

Projected Lineup

Nate McLouth CF

Jack Wilson SS

Freddy Sanchez 2B

Adam LaRoche 1B

Jason Bay LF

Xavier Nady RF

Jose Bautista 3B

Ronny Paulino C

Projected Rotation

Tom Gorzelanny

Ian Snell

Paul Maholm

Matt Morris

Zach Duke

Closer

Matt Capps

Next in Line

Damaso Marte/John Grabow