Reggie Sanders

All signs point to Sanders' career nearing an end. Hamstring, groin and knee problems slowed him at points throughout the season. When he was in the lineup, the balls that carried out of the park in 2005 came up short in 2006. He struggled to a .246 average and 11 home runs, his lowest average and home run marks since 2000. The Royals worked hard to try to deal him over the winter, mostly due to their plethora of young outfielders nearing the majors and the impending move of Mark Teahen to the outfield. There just isn't room for a 39-year-old outfielder with declining skills.

With 18 HR and 14 SB at the All-Star break, Sanders had his eye on his first career 30-30 season. Then he fractured his leg in the first game of the second half and had only 42 AB the rest of the regular season. He still finished with solid numbers before roaring into the first round of the postseason with 10 RBI in only 12 AB. Although Sanders turned 38 in December, he's still an underrated 20-20 fantasy producer. He'll bat cleanup and play right field for the Royals.

Three of the past four seasons, Sanders has been on a team in the World Series. The one time he wasn't can't exactly be his fault -- it was the Pirates. Whether he is a good-luck charm or just a handy, steady hitter at the bottom half of the lineup, Sanders has been consistent despite moving into his upper 30s. Numerous injuries sidelined Sanders throughout 2004, but he was still used in 135 games, probably a tad more than his veteran body can take. His power numbers were down a touch when compared to career averages, but he was good enough for his fourth 20-20 season. Caution: Comparable players to Sanders (Ray Lankford, Eric Davis, Ron Gant) tailed off sharply at or before his current age, so be careful.

Wherever he plays, Sanders seems to be good for 25-30 homers, 80-90 RBI and around 15 steals. He's not the most durable guy around and he doesn't help much in the average department - his .263 average last season was par for the course. But chances are, in 2004, he'll once again provide good value for both his fantasy owners and the major league team that signs him off the bargain rack.

Played right field for Arizona in 2001, and his team won the World Series. Played right field for the Giants in 2002, and his team went to the World Series. With that track record, once he filed for free agency, you'd think that GM's would be calling Sanders' agent all the time. But then again, a look at Sanders' career stats shows that he'll play for his sixth different team in six years in 2003. In the last three seasons that he's played full-time, he's hit 26, 33, and 23 homers, so there's pop left in his bat. He'd be best served by going to a team where he'd play about 120-130 games (he turned 35 in December) in a park that favored right-handed hitters.