What can fantasy owners expect from Victor Martinez?

There's no reason to believe that the team's regular DH won't be ready for spring training. He'll be more than a year removed from microfracture surgery on his left knee, and during the procedure, doctors discovered that the damage wasn't as bad as initially feared.

The switch-hitting Martinez should have little problem rediscovering a stroke that allowed him to bat better than .300 in six of his past seven campaigns. He should settle comfortably into a pretty stacked lineup, meaning he'll be in line to drive in plenty of runs, as usual. Fantasy managers should be prepared for a low home run output, however; he hit only 12 in 145 games in 2011, and a weakened lower half will hinder his already diminishing ability to go deep.

As the weather warms and positive reports flood the wire, expect V-Mart's stock to rise. The task will be determining the point at which he's no longer a bargain. He should retain catcher eligibility in many leagues, since he didn't play last year, so the prospect of 120 to 140 games from such a player is attractive at the right price.