Ah yes, my personal favorite team. There is a lot of promise being developed this year, and who knows, maybe I will get to see a championship this year. Most likely not, but I can hope! From a fantasy perspective, this team has plenty of players that will help anyone. The best part is the number of hitters in a offensive ballpark (ranked 8th) that is great for both right-handed and left-handed batters. Oh, and the pitching doesn’t look to bad either.

Top 3 Players:

1. Ryan Howard, 1B - Reigning MVP with monster power numbers. If he brings down the strikeout rate, he could be as good as that Albert guy. Keep in mind that this is only his second full season though.
2. Chase Utley, 2B - Best player at the most shallow position this year. Definite 20/15 guy.
3. Jimmy Rollins, SS - Legitimate 5 category player, especially if he retains his lead-off spot in the lineup.

Top Prospect:

Cole Hamels, SP - I know, obvious pick. The Phillies traded their best prospect in Gio Gonzalez to get Freddy Garcia. Keep in mind that Hamels has only a couple of years of professional experience.

Rebound Player:

Aaron Rowand / Pat Burrell, OF - Both players should hopefully improve. Rowand was hurt a lot last season, but has 20/20 potential. Personally I think Burrell is awful, but I have a lot of bias towards that. Pat the Bat has a very slow swing, and when he is not watching the third strike fly by him, he can hit the ball a long way. For Burrell, anything will be an improvement over last year. See, there’s that bias again.

Player to Avoid in your draft:

Wes Helms, 3B/1B - Helms was a terrible pickup over the off-season. Nunez can provide better defense and maybe even better offensive numbers. His only fantasy value is his multiple position eligibility, which would help in a very deep NL only league.

Not on everyone list, but should be:

Shane Victorino, OF - Good speed with possible .300 average. He should produce tons of runs if he continues to hit in the 2nd spot in the lineup.

High Risk / High Reward:

Tom Gordon, RP - He could easily get you 30-35 saves, over 60 strikeouts, post a sub 3.50 ERA, and be on the disabled list all at the same time. Don’t be afraid to draft him, but have a backup plan in place just in case.