Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals | Age: 25 Bat: R Ht: 6-1 Wt: 240 Elig:

2012 Fantasy Baseball Projections

Do second-half fly-ball spike, 13 dingers from July through September foretell a 2012 campaign from Butler that many roto owners have been waiting for? Is he really on the verge of a 30-bomb breakthrough? Or will he remain a teasing, .300-hitting, 20-homer threat who disappoints big spenders? We've seen this before, but perhaps not for this long and this pronounced. Lack of first base eligibility in most formats may make you hesitate to pay market price to find out. Sacrificed some BA indicators, too. It's a worthwhile tradeoff - as long as he cashes in. -NM

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox | Age: 36 Bat: L Ht: 6-4 Wt: 230 Elig:

Morales: finally healthy?

2012 Fantasy Baseball Projections

How much pop does Ortiz, 36, have left? 2011 HR total hid a big fly-ball dip that puts repeating it in jeopardy. Ortiz focused on BA improvement, including improving vs. LHP, which might make him a more complete hitter. Still, you buy Ortiz for his power, and he might experience a trade-off of skills that would lower his ceiling there. Of course, we've seen how any loss of bat speed can throw him in the trash; that risk only increases with another year on him. All this, plus he's only eligible at DH. He's worth a middle-rounds mixed pick, but his window to beat the odds is closing quicker than many think. -TH

Vladimir Guerrero, free agent | Age: 37 Bat: R Ht: 6-3 Wt: 235 Elig:

2012 Fantasy Baseball Projections

Kendrys Morales, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Age: 28 Bat: B Ht: 6-1 Wt: 225 Elig:

2012 Fantasy Baseball Projections

How healthy is he really? The Angels have plenty of options at DH, so he won't be rushed. Don't expect his '09 power totals to magically reappear; his surgically repaired foot may not let him hit enough deep fly balls to make them count. Pay for BA and temper your expectations in the PT department, at least early on, but recognize that there's nice payoff potential in a cheap investment. -KH

Hideki Matsui, free agent | Age: 37 Bat: L Ht: 6-2 Wt: 210 Elig: OF

2012 Fantasy Baseball Projections

Travis Hafner, Cleveland Indians | Age: 34 Bat: L Ht: 6-3 Wt: 240 Elig:

2012 Fantasy Baseball Projections

Manny Ramirez, Oakland Athletics | Age: 39 Bat: R Ht: 6-0 Wt: 225 Elig:

2012 Fantasy Baseball Projections