Spring training is here, which means baseball is just around the corner. This off-season has already proven pleny interesting with big name trades and monster free agent signings. But every fantasy GM worth his salt knows that keeping an eye on Spring Training storylines is an important prelude to a fantasy draft. So without further ado, Fantasy Sports Update! presents five spring training storylines to watch:


Comment: Both Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were mentioned in the Mitchell Report, and Bonds was indicted and has a perjury trial on the horizon. Meanwhile, Clemens has convinced himself that he's never taken performance enhancing drugs, but the FBI are looking into the possibility that Clemens may have lied to Congress. Yikes. Still, Tampa Bay has shown an interest in Bonds, and Clemens is probably a phone call away from taking the mound for one more season in Houston, if only to help pay his hefty legal bills. And if either of these guys hits the field, you can bet plenty of fantasy GMs will scoop them up right away for added depth. Keep an eye on them during Spring Training. Clemens is throwing batting practice in Houston; it wouldn't be a stretch to see him on the mound.


Comment: The Rays have a wealth of young hitting talent, but are still somewhat cursed by their placement in the AL East — games against the New Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays aren't good for team morale. First baseman Carlos Pena was a hot prospect a few years ago, but broke out in 2007 at the age of 30 with 46 homers and 121 RBI. Pena has always had the skills, but finally mastered major league pitching last season. And while fantasy GMs should temper expectations just a bit, Pena is still ranked in the Top 10 for first basemen in most mock drafts. As for Rick Ankiel, he was more than a feel-good story with the St. Louis Cardinals last season. The former pitcher, who battled confidence issues, always had a fan in Tony LaRussa, and LaRussa was rewarded last year as Ankiel blasted 11 homers with 39 RBI in just 172 at-bats. He'll never be an everyday player, but Ankiel's attitude and determination make him a great role player and pinch-hitter. Don't over draft Pena based on last season's numbers (a repeat isn't likely), but don't sleep on Ankiel either. He's always a hot streak away from huge numbers.


Comment: Big things are expected from Chicago Cubs' "rookie" Kosuke Fukodome, the Japanese MVP in 2006. However, there has to be at least a little concern about Fukodome's elbow surgery in 2007 which caused him to miss half the season. The Cubs' doctors cleared the signing, and the team will insert him into a lineup that already includes Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee and Alfonso Soriano — meaning he'll get plenty of pitches to hit. And if Fukudome stays healthy and hits like he did in Japan, the Cubs will make life miserable for opposing pitchers. So, what's his fantasy outlook? Hitting in that lineup will give him enough RBI opportunities to make him a stud, but that doesn't mean he won't produce an unsightly batting average.


Comment: The trade of Johan Santana to the New York Mets certainly solidified their starting rotation, but what else does it mean to the staff? Pedro Martinez has much less pressure to return to form after missing most of 2007, and John Maine (15-10, 180 SO) and Oliver Perez (15-10, 174 SO) are hoping to build on solid seasons. After that, it's going to be a roster battle between aging and injury-prone Orlando Hernandez and youngster Mike Pelfrey. And while Willie Randolph likes having the luxury of owning six possible starters, fantasy GMs should also consider Hernandez and Pelfrey as bench players. Either one could win 10 games, but neither will do much else.


Comment: In short, no. The Red Sox and Yankees will always battle for supremacy in the AL East. The balance of power has possibly shifted again in the AL Central with the Detroit Tigers adding Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, but the Cleveland Indians were one win away from the World Series in 2007. In the AL West, the upstart Seattle Mariners just might give the Los Angeles Angels fits. In the NL East, the Mets have to be considered the favorite now that they own Santana, but the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves didn't get any worse. The Chicago Cubs will have to fight off the Milwaukee Brewers again as well as the Cardinals, who always scrape out wins. And then there is the NL West, where the D-backs and Colorado Rockies played for the NL crown in Oct., but will face solid competition from the San Diego Padres and, maybe, Joe Torre's Los Angeles Dodgers. So, there really are no clear-cut favorites, and that means it should and will be an exciting season.