From now until the regular season begins, Fantasy Flings is where you'll find interesting story lines about your favorite teams from Spring Training. If there is a position battle, a nagging injury, a comeback story or a youngster making a surge for the "big club" we'll let you know the fantasy implications.Chicago White Sox
The buzz around White Sox camp is position battles. Up for grabs is the third base position, center field and second base. Josh Fields and Dayan Viciedo are fighting for third and Fields has the leg up. Both hitters can mash the ball and both play suspect defense; although Fields is improving. Fields worked extensively this off-season at Camp Cora and Cora mentioned that everyone would be shocked with what they see out of Fields this year. He has three hits in six at-bats with two doubles so far this spring. Jayson Nix and his four hits in six at-bats with two doubles seem to be taking over as front-runner for the second base job thought to belong to Chris Getz. DeWayne Wise is being called the "best player this spring" and may be taking the center field job from injured Jerry Owens.
Cleveland Indians
Injuries are keeping "fans of the feather" awake at night as two thirds of the starting outfield has pulled out of the World Baseball Classic because of injury concerns. Shin-Soo Choo and Grady Sizemore both announced this past week that they need to heal and will not leave camp to participate in the WBC. Aaron Laffey was the front runner to win the 5th rotation spot, but he's not fared well in two appearances giving up eight hits and four earned runs in four innings. On the flip side of that coin, none of the other four competitors for the rotation spot, Scott Lewis, Jeremy Sowers, David Huff or Zach Jackson have really been lights out either.
Detroit Tigers
All eyes will be on top prospect Rick Porcello today as he pitches against Panama for his first spring start. His name is being thrown around as a candidate for the 5th rotation spot as neither Dontrelle Willis or Nate Robertson have been impressive thus far. The fourth competitor Zach Miner gave up five earned runs and nine hits in his four inning attempt to win the job. This competition is wide open and the Tigers have proved in the past that they'll give the ball to a young rookie. Jeremy Bonderman was the same age as Porcello when he broke into the rotation.
Kansas City Royals
The talk of camp isn't about what's going on there or who's doing what. It's about who's not in camp. The Royals were to try an experiment to get Mark Teahen more at-bats this season. The Royals planned to give him an extensive look at second base instead of his normal corner infield or outfield position. However, instead of getting to camp and learning a new position, Teahen is of at the World Baseball Classic playing third base for Canada. He's going to be way behind in the second base competition upon his return, something that doesn't bode well for his fantasy value; which would have gone up as a second baseman.
Minnesota Twins
Everyone remotely involved with the Twins, from front office staff to coaches to fantasy GM's are thrilled that Joe Nathan threw pain free yesterday in a workout for coaches. At third base, Joe Crede is beginning to put to rest any doubts that the starting job is his. He hit the ball hard against Puerto Rico and came up easily from a diving defensive stop at third. His surgically repaired back seems fine, which is good news for everyone except Brendan Harris and Brian Buscher; the two expected to fight for the third base job. Buscher isn't going down without a fight. He's six for ten with two doubles and a home run in spring so far.
