Most people are usually debating between CJ ,AP, MJD for the number one selection. For those of you that don’t know those initials, they stand for Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, and Maurice Jones-Drew. You can’t go wrong with any of those selections, however I would like to show some love for my main man from Rutgers in New Jersey, Ray Rice.

If you look at the overall numbers, Chris Johnson had the most rushing yards with a monstrous number of 2,006 yards. Throw in two more reception TDs and his total along with his rushing scores make it 16 for the year. If you look at all of the NFL backs who have run for 2,000 yards in one season, their next year did not even come close to those numbers. Here is a list of how the players did in their next season: OJ Simpson and his 1994 white ford bronco, 1125 yards in 1974, Eric Dickerson 1234 yards in 1985, Barry Sanders 1491 yards in 1998, Terrell Davis 211 in 1999, and Jamal Lewis 1006 yards in 2004. Unless Chris Johnson starts racing a cheetah, he will be the fastest player in the NFL, but not top on my fantasy team this year.

Let’s look at AP next; he scored the most touchdowns out of any back in this list, with a total of 18 of them. I am surprised to see that he didn’t have any receiving touch downs. He rushed for 1,383 yards with 436 receiving yards. We can’t forget the six fumbles he coughed up, even though that is a minor stat in fantasy. I think the Brett Favre saga has something negative about it towards the whole team and might change their moral some. I also believe that Toby Gerhart might get a few of the goaline carries and third down plays.

The third piece to this puzzle is Maurice Jones-Drew. He rushed for 1,391 yards with 16 trips to the end zone (1 td reception). He has the fewest receiving yards out of the bunch with 374. I believe that Jones-Drew might have a better season than the first two players on this list. However, the best option is in this next selection.

His name is Ray Rice, R-dub, and R-squared, however you call it; he will be a beast for your roster. I believe that Ray Rice is the best catching and yards per catch running back in the league. He had 702 receiving yards last year, and with his breakaway ability, he may be able to eclipse the 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards plateau. Who did it last you ask? 49er fans will remember Roger Craig doing it in 1985; however Marshall Faulk of the Rams did it in 1999. Don’t worry, Willis McGahee won’t be taking any carries away from Rice. Rice is the man and will dominate in every aspect for your team.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

Sabean pulled the trigger on acquiring a key lefty for their depleted bullpen.  With Jeremy Affeldt and Dan Runzler gone for about three more weeks, they needed to get out the tough lefties in the meantime.  Javier Lopez is a name that should be familiar with Giants fans, since he played with rival National League West teams, the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks, from 2003-2005.  His most recent stop was with the Pittsburgh Pirates where he posted a 2.79 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. His overall ERA for his career is at 4.36 and has the stuff to get the difficult lefties out. The 33 year old and native of Puerto Rico was acquired for pitcher Joe Martinez and 1b/OF John Bowker.  General Managers knew the Giants needed a lefty in the bullpen, and the price was brought higher, but these players last names were not named Sanchez or Bumgarner, so Sabean seized on the opportunity.

In the final seconds of the deadline Sabean got Ramon Ramirez.  Ramirez was lights out with the Red Sox where he posted a 2.84 ERA in 69 plus innings.  He is a hard thrower and even thrived in Kansas City, who can say that?  He posted a 2.64 ERA with the Royals in 2008.  He was battling a triceps injury for part of the season and hasn’t been producing the way the Red Sox were looking for.  Ramirez was acquired for relief pitcher Daniel Turpen.  Dave Righetti, the Giants pitching coach will hopefully be able to get him to regain is prior form and be a staple in the Giants bullpen.  A proven reliever not named Santiago Casilla or Denny Bautista is a welcomed addition to the club.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

Here are the real N.L. All Stars, the Fantasy NL All-Stars…

Catcher – Miguel Olivo (Colorado Rockies)

Miguel Olivo was brought in to battle for the starting position this offseason, and he has run away with it.  Olivo has benefited from leaving the Royals and entering the friendly confines of Coors Field.  He ranks first in the NL Home runs for catchers with 14, and first in RBIs with 39.  You can’t forget about those lighting quick wheels that got him four steals.

First Base – Joey Votto (Cincinnati Reds)

The surprising first place Reds, led by your former Giants skipper Dusty Baker, are tearing the cover off the ball in the first half of the season. The Canadian Votto is hitting at a .313 clip, with 21 homers, and 59 RBIs. It is good to see him fully healthy and showing what he is capable of. He gets my vote for NL MVP at the midseason point.

Second Baseman – Martin Prado (Atlanta Braves)

Ever since Prado moved to the top of the lineup, the Braves seem to have been winning a lot more. It doesn’t hurt to have the electrifying Billy Wagner closing games for you. Martin Prado has the most hits in the major leagues; I bet you would have expected it to be Ichiro. He has proven to be a doubles machine, and his .375 OBP proves that more runs will come for him in the talented Braves lineup.

Third Baseman – David Wright (New York Mets)

Wright definitely had a rough two months to start the season, with his average dipping to .244, but ever since that point, he has been on a tear. He is part of the reason why the Mets are sitting at second place in the AL East, his RBI totals are tops in the NL, at 64, and it should only continue to grow as he hits into the alleys of Citi Field.

Shortstop – Hanley Ramirez (Florida Marlins)

He is simply in a class all by himself, no one else possess the speed and power at this position in the majors. The number one pick in most fantasy drafts is having another solid season, even if he doesn’t run after pop ups and gets benched for a few games. His average is just at .296, I have a feeling it will get to above .300 in no time, along with 13 home runs, and 53 RBIs are right on pace to be around his marks from last year.

Outfield – Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado Rockies)

“CarGo,” as he is known in the Rockies clubhouse, could be carrying some hardware by the end of the season. He knocked 15 home runs so far, and has 55 RBIs in 74 games so far this season. 12 stolen bases are not too shabby either. It would be possible for him to go 30/30 in home runs and steals this year, look out for him to possibly reach 40/40 at some point in his career.

Outfield – Matt Kemp (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Kemp has been in the doghouse at times for Joe Torre this year, but in the last seven days, he might make a case for not going back there again this season. His average is just at .266, don’t let that fool you. He has four home runs and nine RBIs in his last seven games, and looks to take that into a blistering second half of the season. If he steals more in the second half, he will be able to get to his total of 34 from last year.

Outfield – Chris Young (Arizona Diamondbacks)

The ceiling is high for Chris Young, and we may be finally seeing what this prospect has been hiding for the past few years in the desert. He has knocked 15 balls out the park this year, and his 59 RBIs are near the top of the NL leader board.  It is very likely that he could be a member of the 30/30 club and be a star that shines bright for the struggling Diamondbacks the rest of the way.

Starting Pitcher – Josh Johnson (Florida Marlins)

Johnson’s record may only be 9-3, but all of his other statistics blow you away. 1.70 ERA, 123 strikeouts in 122 innings pitched, only four home runs allowed, and a 0.96 WHIP. If Johnson was on a team that was near the top of their division, he would get a lot more recognition in the media. Many people forget he is a pitcher who had Tommy John surgery a few years ago, look at those results.

Starting Pitcher – Adam Wainwright (St. Louis Cardinals)

You can pencil in Wainwright for giving you seven or more innings and seven or more strikeouts per start. He is the rock of the Cardinals rotation, and would you believe that he was once their closer? Four complete games this year, to go along with a 2.24 ERA, has him at the top of the NL pitchers in fantasy once again.

Starting Pitcher – Ubaldo Jimenez (Colorado Rockies)

15-1 record, I will say no more….wait I’ll throw in some more…He may be the first pitcher to record 30 wins in a season since Denny McLain got 31 way back in 1968. He started 18 games and has gotten a decision in 16 of them. This could be one of the most magical seasons for a pitcher in recent history.

Starting Pitcher – Roy Halladay (Philadelphia Phillies)

Many people believed that to begin the season, Halladay was the favorite to win the NL CY Young. The problem is that the Phillies have been decimated by injuries this season and all of those losses (7 of them) can be placed on the health of the team. If the Phillies were healthy all year, maybe he would have 15 or 16, instead of only 10. The “Doc” has still posted a 2.33 ERA, an astounding seven complete games, piling 199 strikeouts, with a 1.08 WHIP.

Starting Pitcher – Matt Latos (San Diego Padres)

This may come as a surprise to anyone outside of the state of California. Latos hasn’t given up more than three earned runs since April 26 against the Marlins. He is one of the reasons that the Padres sit atop the NL West, along with their impenetrable bullpen. His record is 10-4, with a 2.45 ERA, 99 strikeouts in 106 plus innings, and a god-like whip of 0.97. Latos is a name you will hear in future All-Star games.

Relief Pitcher – Billy Wager (Atlanta Braves)

Do you believe that Wagner is set to retire at the end of the season? He sure seems to be going out on the top of his game, after a flurry on injuries in the past. He can still 100 MPH on the gun and is striking out batters at an alarming rate. He sports a 1.27 ERA, 19 saves in 22 opportunities and 55 strikeouts in 35 plus innings. He is the closer that the Braves needed over the past few seasons, so look out for them in the playoffs in Bobby Cox’s final season in the majors. Let’s see a few more ejections Bobby!!!

Relief Pitcher – Heath Bell (San Diego Padres)

There was a lot of speculation at the beginning of the season about Heath Bell being traded. The Padres would not be where they are right now without his services. The Oceanside, CA native has a 1.72 ERA, 23 saves in 26 chances, allowed only one home run and has struck out 49 batters. He could very well lead the league in saves once again.

Relief Pitcher – Jonathan Broxton (Los Angeles Dodgers)

The flamethrower out of the Dodgers bullpen is putting together another solid season. His ERA sits at 1.98, converting 18 saves in 20 chances, and striking out 52. He had one bad outing against the Yankees on June 27, or else his ERA could very well be under 1.00. Look for Broxton to be the shutting down the opponents for years to come in the land of Hollywood.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

I have been reading a few articles that have begged the question is Strasburg an All-Star? I believe that this is completely ridiculous and blown way out of proportion. First of all, if Strasburg was on a team out on the West coast, you have to know that the media coverage would be about half of what it is now. Strasburg-mania or the Strasburger found at a local restaurant has caused the Nationals to be of interest every five days. I don’t believe that he should even be considered on the write-in ballot for the All-Star game. He will have plenty of opportunities to have his name on ballot; maybe he will be in fifteen or twenty All-Star games.

The All-Star game is not an exhibition anymore; it takes away from the fun of the game, thanks to Mr. Bud Selig. The winner of the game gets their league home field advantage in the World Series. It is completely ridiculous that this happened, but it is such a huge advantage for the home team. He should not take away the spot from a different Nationals player that deserves to be there. I am a fan of having the all-star representative from each team; it lets you see players that some people may have never heard of. My vote for the Nationals representative goes to Tyler Clippard; he has eight wins out of the bullpen, with a 2.20 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

June 8^th, 2010, could be a day that is remembered for a long time in major league history.  Stephen Strasburg, 21, SP, Washington Nationals, and Michael Stanton, 20, OF, Florida Marlins, are being promoted to their respective major league teams. The hype can’t get any bigger for Strasburg, who was drafted number one overall in the 2009 MLB draft.  He has been clocked at 99 MPH, as well as having a wicked array of other pitches.  This kid has stuff that scouts, MLB players, or MLB managers have never seen before.  It will be interesting to see how he handles all of the pressure, but if his minor leagues totals are any indication, he will be just fine. He posted a line of a 7-2 record, 1.30 ERA, 65 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 0.80.

Michael Stanton was the number three prospect in all of baseball coming into the season.  He should be able to get playing time in the Marlins outfield immediately, with the ineffectiveness of Chris Coghlan and Cameron Maybin. Stanton has only played 52 games for the Jacksonville Sun, the Marlins AA affiliate.  In those games, he managed to hit out 21 home runs, at a rate of one home run per every nine at bats.  The power is there, and cannot be overlooked, the downside, is that he has struck out 53 times.  If you can handle the dip in average, his power numbers might be able to carry you to the Promised Land this season.

The National League East has five teams in it, and three of the top prospects in the game will be on major league rosters on their respective teams.  Jason Heyward, ATL, Strasburg, WAS, and Stanton, FLA. The Mets also included Ike Davis to their major league roster in early May.  The division is filled with young kids who have the possibility of carrying their team to the playoffs.  The only team that doesn’t have a young star on their roster is the Phillies, but why would you, when you have 46-year-old Jamie Moyer throwing complete games.  The Braves may be leading the National League East right now, but there is still time for other teams to make their move to the top.  Don’t be surprised if the NL Wild Card comes from the NL East with all this young firepower coming up to the major league level.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

When you hear the name Walker, you may be thinking about the Canadian baseball player, and Montreal Expos great, Larry Walker. Neil Walker, 24, a Pittsburgh native, currently playing for the Pirates, is the new starter at second base.  He is replacing Akinori Iwamura, the highest paid player on the Pirates roster, commanding a 4.85 million dollar salary.  Neil Walker was brought up in the Pirates system as a catcher; however he has made the move to second base quite nicely.  He also brings dual eligibility by being able to play at second and third base.  Walker was the 11^th selection in the first round of the 2004 draft, other notables players from that draft were Justin Verlander (2^nd), Jered Weaver (12^th), and Billy Butler (14^th).

Walker has been in the top 100 prospect list from 2005-2007, and he is finally getting his shot to prove everyone else wrong for labeling him the “bust” label.  Since his promotion on May 25^th, Walker is hitting .359, with four doubles, one homer, and six RBIs.  Second base is a tough position to find an offensive spark out of, and Walker may just be the player to help put your team over the top in the next few weeks.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

The first two things when you think of the Texas Rangers may be Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz.  They are the big bats in the lineup that will put RBIs on the board every night.  The reason to their success, as with most teams, is due to pitching. 

Two new members in their rotation are carrying that burden, and it isn’t Rich Harden or Scott Feldman.  You may be surprised to hear this, but I am going with C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis.  C.J. Wilson was a good reliever for them last year, the Rangers, with the aid of Nolan Ryan himself at the top, decided to try to stretch out Wilson and put him in the starting rotation.  He is currently owned in only 47 percent of yahoo leagues.  You cannot argue with a 1.75 ERA in 25.1 innings, and those 22 strikeouts prove to be a vital statistic to any league. The lefty should be owned in a whole lot more leagues, don’t let the thought of him pitching in Arlington be a reason to not pick him up.

The second starter has an interesting story; Colby Lewis pitched in the 2008 and 2009 seasons in Japan, for the Hiroshima Carps.  In his two years overseas, he won the award for most strikeouts.  He also hit five home runs himself, who knew.  The numbers that he achieved overseas had given him hope that he could pitch in the major leagues again.  Currently, Colby Lewis is only owned in 38 percent of leagues, and his ERA is a little high at 3.80.  The main statistic that Lewis will provide you help in, is strikeouts, he has 28 in 22 innings pitched, and K/9, which is at an outstanding 10.65.  Don’t miss out on these two gun slingers and pick them up now on the waiver wire!

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

My friend Stephen and I (check out his DJ material at http://steviedvd.wordpress.com) were looking to get tickets to Opening Day a few weeks ago.  We originally saw them for 70, 60, and finally 40 bucks.  He hasn’t missed Opening Day in ten years, and I was jumping at the possibility to go to my first Opening Day, especially after missing most of the games last season.  I already had tickets to Opening Night, but hey, I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, one of the more exciting games I have been too.  I was a bit worried that Tim Hudson was dealing, and throwing some nasty stuff up there for the first five innings.  Thankfully, a former Brave, hit a crushing blow, against the newest Brave in the bottom of the ninth.  Renteria’s blast off of Wagner produced an electric shock across the whole stadium. 

I haven’t heard that place that loud in all the games I went to.  The game finally was capped off by an Aaron Rowand hit in the bottom of the 13^th inning, it was the most beautiful day I have ever seen in the city without a cloud in the sky, and now it was complete with a victory.

Opening Night didn’t produce a victory; however it did show that the Giants weren’t going to go down without a fight.  They had multiple opportunities to score, with Uribe getting intentionally and unintentionally walked to face Eli Whiteside.  Whiteside proceeded to ground out to short, where Yunel Escobar and his rifle arm made an outstanding play, and the next at bat was a strikeout.  If we would have scored in either of those innings, maybe the outcome would have been different.  This brings up the point of having Buster Posey on the roster. Whiteside is great to throw the ball to, the pitchers love him for it, but he can’t hit whatsoever.  On a roster that is in a serious need of a jolt in the offensive department, just tell Bill Neukom to cough up some of the bucks to pay Posey early.  Buster has been killing the ball down on the farm, and he could spell Huff and Molina a few days a week.  The clock is ticking on this move to be made.  I must also give props to Todd Wellemeyer for pitching a great game, even though the final box score didn’t reflect it.  Finally, I loved the energy of the children sitting next to me; the three of them didn’t stop dancing the whole time.  Giants fever baby!!

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

Best overall fantasy player:

Albert Pujols – 1B STL – Pujols is far and above any player in MLB right now.  He is going to have a full season with Matt Holliday and his pitching staff has improved.  The Cardinals in my mind will run away with the NL Central this year, sorry to any Cubs fans I offended.  Pujols might hit 50 home runs this year, and who knew that he stole 16 bases last year.  You can expect 120 plus runs, 40 or more doubles, and possibly 140 RBIs from this massive slugger in the 2010 season.

Catcher:

Joe Mauer – C MIN – The M&M boys in Minnesota will have then in contention until the end of the regulation season because of how they play the game.  (Mauer and Morneau) Joe Mauer is in a class with himself, especially with a huge new contract to start the 2010 season.  I am curious on how the new ballpark in Minnesota will play like.  Will it be hitter or pitcher friendly?  No matter where Mauer plays, he will hit the ball, just look at his .365 average last season.  There will be a buzz in the air in Minnesota for two reasons, a new stadium, and finally spending money on a player to stay in their organization.

First Baseman:

Mark Teixeria – 1B NYY- Teixeria was everything and more the Yankees hoped for when they signed him to the enormous contract a year ago.  I think his RBI totals will increase this year by having Curtis Granderson at the top of their lineup.  It is hard to imagine him improving on the 122 that he had last year, but he could push 150 with the way the Yankee lineup is shaping up, it also doesn’t help to play in the homer box, known as the house that George built.

Second Baseman:

Ian Kinsler – 2B TEX – Ian Kinsler will begin the season on the injured list, I know this is something that might scare some people off, but you have to be able to project what he should be able to do over the course of a 162 game schedule.  Kinsler and Chase Utley’s home run totals, RBIs, and runs are all in close proximity of one another.  The factor that puts Kinsler above Utley is his 31 steals against 23 last year for Utley.  Both lineups are stacked with insane amount of power, but I have to give the advantage to the Rangers, with the ability to use the DH.

Third Baseman:

Alex Rodriguez – 3B NYY– This was a tough call to make between A-Rod and Longoria.  But their numbers were similar, even with A-Rod missing the first month of the season last year.  A full season of A-Rod, with controversy behind him, will produce a mammoth season from this slugger.  I took A-Rod third in my draft, which is where he should normally go; I don’t see Longoria cracking that number three draft position.  It is possible that Rodriguez can crack the twenty steal plateau as well this year, based on him getting 14 last year.  Stolen bases can make or break your team in a league with a head to head format.

Shortstop:

Hanley Ramirez – SS FLA - This selection has been the easiest by far.  There is no other player that can hit the ball out of the ballpark, hit for a high average, and steal bases the way H-Ram does.  Hanley Ramirez has been taken first or even second in many drafts, you can’t go wrong with either selection.  Florida finally has some pitching that they did last year, I know, it is weird that a fire sale in Florida didn’t happen.  Who knows how long the current players will stay in Florida, but ride the wave while you can.  It will be interesting to see how Cameron Maybin and Chris Coglan, my projected first and second place hitters, get on base for Ramirez.  If they are anywhere near a .400 OBP, that could create a huge leap in Hanley’s RBI totals. Look for another huge year for this elite shortstop.

Outfielders:

Matt Kemp – OF LAD – Kemp could easily become a 30/30 guy this year.  He came close last year with 26 home runs and 34 steals.  Kemp will have a full season of Manny Ramirez to drive him in, and he will continue to grow as a hitter at the MLB level.  I could also see Kemp hitting for .300 this year as well.  Look for his numbers to improve and be a great asset to your team.

Editors Note:  Yes, we are talking about that Matt Kemp, the Matt Kemp that has been seen all over LA with Rihanna.

Ryan Braun – OF MIL – He will continue to mash on the ball at Miller Park, with his fellow basher, Prince Fielder.  Carlos Gomez will be a nice addition in centerfield, if he can get on base consistently, for these two players.  Braun’s number will only continue to grow and outperform each previous season.  He is one of the best hitters in the game, and you can’t argue with a legitimate home run hitter that can hit .320.

Grady Sizemore – OF CLE – I know that I am reaching a bit here, but I am hoping Grady turns back the clock to the player he was in the 2008 season.  About the only thing that he has going for him in Cleveland is the fans known as, Grady’s Ladies.  Sizemore should have every opportunity to steal, hit, and do what he is known to do.  In 2008 he stole 38 bases, knocked 33 balls out of the park, and got 101 runs.  If he gets anywhere close to this for this upcoming year, he will be a top five outfielder by far.

Sleeper Pick:

Rickie Weeks – 2B MIL – Ken Macha has no choice but to play Weeks this year.  I know everyone read into the hype years before, and it wasn’t his fault that he got hurt last year.  Weeks has been tearing the cover off the ball in spring training this year.  Second base is a weak position, as always, and you can get great value by picking up Weeks late in the draft.  He will be the steal of this year’s draft in my opinion.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here

Buster Posey is hitting a blistering .462 in ten games players. Aaron Rowand is white lightning hot, hitting with a clip of .567 in nine games played.  Fred Lewis is leading the Giants this spring with three homeruns; however his average is only .241.  The Giants know that Jesus Guzman can hit, he is currently at .444, but his defense is a liability.  Matt Downs could surprise as a utility specialist based on his spring so far.  Roger Kieschnick may be a surprise as well for an outfield spot on the opening day roster, or a September call up.  Our potential starting right fielder, Nate Schierholtz is holding his own, hitting one homer with a .304 average.

I am not one to think much of spring training pitching statistics, but I am a bit concerned with Madison Bumgarner’s velocity.  I would like to see it up in the middle 90’s, rather than the high 80’s.  He still has a great deal of deception with his delivery, but I am not sure if it is enough to win the fifth spot in the rotation.  Todd Wellemeyer, leads the team with nine innings pitched, and is posting a 2.00 ERA. Kevin Pucetas might have an outside spot at landing the fifth spot, has pitched seven innings of three hit ball with giving up zero runs.

I believe it will come down to the final days for the final positions on the Giants roster.  I am not sure what will end up separating all of them, but it will be interesting to say the least. I hope that the Giants need for speed doesn’t take them away from someone that can hit.  If you can’t get on base then there is no use for someone fast.  I love the stolen base, but if you keep swinging at the dirt like Eugenio Velez has done, you will not go far. I cannot wait for opening day, only a few more weeks to go.

Harrison Ellman writes exclusively for CloudFantasy.  Email him here