Carlos Zambrano, Cubs
Average position ranking on other popular fantasy baseball sites: 14
Why he’s not liked: He’s still appreciated, just not as a No. 1 fantasy starter after losing 13 games and compiling the highest ERA of his career (3.95) and his lowest strikeout total since 2003 (177).
Why he should be: Even in a "down" year, he won 18 games and struck out 7.4 batters per nine innings. From 2004-06, he was 46-21 with a 3.14 ERA and 600 Ks in 647 innings. He should be good for 15 to 20 wins, 200 Ks and a low ERA.
Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks
Average position ranking on other popular fantasy baseball sites: 72
Why he’s not liked: He’s 44 and he’s coming off back surgery. That’s a worse combination than Milton Bradley and any major-league clubhouse.
Why he should be: Before you think I’m crazy – and you already might after the Griffey reference – consider this: The Big Unit was 50-33 with a 3.73 ERA and 673 strikeouts in 676 1/3 innings from 2004-06. Will he repeat those numbers? Probably not. But in a 12-team league, you could do a lot worse than a former great playing for a team that could win 90-plus games as your fourth or fifth starter.
