By Steve Kwan
Fantasy Sports 101 Baseball

March 17, 2008 - Fantasy Sports 101’s spring training coverage continues with a look at the most recent injury news and updates. It has been a slow couple of days, but there are encouraging signs from at least one former fantasy stud who could be an impact player again sooner rather than later.  

2B Kazuo Matsui – Houston Astros
In one of the stranger injury reports I’ve ever read, Matsui is scheduled to undergo surgery for an “anal fissure” this coming Monday. He’s had a rocky spring so far, but Matsui is currently being drafted in fantasy leagues for one thing and one thing only: steals. Assuming he recovers well from surgery, he should be fine for the season.

OF Wily Mo Pena – Washington Nationals
Pena tore his left oblique muscle and now looks to need a month to recover. Pena has been projected for several years to be a viable sleeper power hitter, but that never came to fruition in Cincinnati or Boston. He is expected to be a big part of Washington’s new-look lineup, but don’t waste a pick on him until he comes back with a clean bill of health.

SP Adam Loewen – Baltimore Orioles
Big things were expected from Loewen this year, but that was assuming recovery from season-ending surgery last year went smoothly. He was scratched from his latest start due to soreness in his left shoulder, and for a projected young starter, that’s bad news indeed.

SP Bartolo Colon – Boston Red Sox
Colon has been lighting it up in bullpen sessions so far, which is exactly what Boston needs to hear after putting Curt Schilling on the 60-day DL. Three years removed from his Cy Young season, Colon could potentially be a wonderful last-round pick if he can nab a starting job with the Red Sox. Even now, he’s available on almost every waiver wire.

SP Scott Olsen – Florida Marlins
Olsen was expected to be an ace of the future for the Marlins, but last year he was one of many young Florida starters that were hugely disappointing. Nonetheless, he is expected to be Florida’s ace this season, but now left shoulder tendonitis has forced him to miss a start. Even in deeper leagues, take a pass on Olsen.

OF Carlos Beltran – New York Mets
Beltran’s draft stock hasn’t been affected by the fact that he’s coming off surgery on both knees this offseason. As of today, he’s still not ready to play a full game. While he still has a lot of time to recover, I'm leery of a player coming off surgery on both knees, especially when he’s priced in the second round range of drafts.

3B Andy LaRoche – Los Angeles Dodgers
Those on sleeper alert got devastating news last week when the Dodgers' official web site announced that LaRoche would miss 6-8 weeks with a torn ligament in his right thumb. Keep his name in the back of your mind early in the season though, as veteran Nomar Garciapara likely won't be healthy or effective enough to keep a firm grip on the starting job.