Team Preview: Stem

20 Words or Less : A team that I like a lot because Stem and I compared notes leading up to the draft.

R: Possibly the worst category for the squad. Adam Dunn is a 100 run guy, and Carlos Guillen should be on the Tigers. Where Aaron Hill hits in the Toronto lineup will effect the standings a lot. Only two guys on the team that crossed 100 last year, and no others over 90. Should have a clump of gents around the 85-95 mark. Expect: 890-900, 3-5 points

HR: I may be alone in this, but I think the selection of Jermaine Dye in the 2nd round pushed this club to the top half of the power standings. Added to Aramis Ramirez and Dunn, you have an easy 100 homers in the bank. The real key here is Vernon Wells, who hit 60 homers the two years leading up to 2007. A rebound from the CFer gives Stem a shot at an 8. Expect: 245-255, 6-9 points

RBI: Despite the home run potential, I see a weaker finish in RBI, in part because of guys like Hill, Eric Byrnes and Shane Victorino who don't have the kind of opportunities necessary to produce huge numbers. All are good players, but can't help enter elite territory. Expect: 860-870, 4-6 points

SB: Victorino and Byrnes "steal" the spotlight in this category.* Byrnes' chances at 50 stolen bases again are not favorable, but Victorino should build on his 37. The wildcard is Ryan Theriot, who currently sits on the bench and could swipe 30 bases over a full season. If Theriot is permitted to play all for Stem all year, it's a really good SB club, but that hurts OBA, HR, and RBI. He's not a really good hitter, for all of his scrappiness. Assuming minimal PT for TheRiot; Expect: 125-135, 3-5 points

OBA: Todd Helton lacks the power numbers of an ideal first baseman, and that may ultimately cost this team 4-5 points in the overall standings. However, he improves this club at least 2 points in the On-Base section of the program, because he's almost a lock for .430+. Dye, for a power guy, has a pretty bad eye at the plate, and Vernon Wells lost 50 points from his 2006 OBA last year. His rebound, again is a key here. Expect: 355-360, 4-6 points

W: Jeff Francis and Carlos Zambrano won 35 between them last year, and should combine for another 30 this year. The IP by AJ Burnett (a recurring theme on this list) will factor in as well, seeing as he'll have a nice chance to win 15 games with his skills and 200 innings. If he's around 160 again, he'll be around the 10-11 category. I think Derek Lowe upticks from 12 and Scott Kazmir does the same from 13. Expect: 95-105, 7-9 points

SV: Should be able to pile up decent numbers with guys on teams who will have to win by a three runs or less because there's some pretty shitty ballclubs in Stem's bullpen. You also have to wonder how Francisco Cordero makes it out of this season alive after spending his summer with Dusty Baker. Expect: 100-110, 5-7 points

K: First-Round pick Kazmir teams with Carlos Zambrano as guys with great strikeout histories. Javier Vazquez, with almost a K per inning last year, is a great add to this staff, and his most valuable contribution will be in strikeouts. Burnett has a sick K/9, but again, his innings limit his counts. Cordero will also chip in a very healthy amount in the 143 appearances he's slated to make this year. Expect: 1295-1315, 7-9 points

ERA: Jeff Francis will always struggle to keep his ERA under 4 in Colorado, but he's become so reliable elsewhere that he's still a valuable member of the staff. Kazmir and Burnett have the best skills to keep their ERA down, but both play in the AL East. Any innings taken by Kevin Millwood will surely up the cumulative ERA of Stem, so he had better win games, because he can't strike people out. Expect: 3.80-3.85, 4-6 points

WHIP: Since 2005, Zambrano has increased his win total from 14 to 16 to 18 last season. He has also increased his WHIP from a stellar 1.15 in '05 to a less than stellar 1.33 last season. The man walks so many guys he's almost deficient in this category. Scott Kazmir is the same way. Javy Vazquez projects to be the team leader in the category, which remains solid despite Big Z's inablity to consistently throw strikes. Expect: 1.25-1.35, 4-7 points

*I'm a douchebag

Most Important Player: Jermaine Dye. I said earlier that his presence elevates this team to a different level when it comes to power numbers, but if he has a first half like he did last year, the offensive hole will to too great to climb out of.

Biggest Question: Seriously, Vernon Wells, what the fuck?
Biggest Answer: Last season, at the end of the season, Wells had surgery to remove a cyst in his shoulder, and to repair a torn labrum in that same shoulder. As long as the surgery worked and he has no residual effects, Wells should be a 25 homer guy again.

Haiku Summary: Lacks big keeper stud. Pitcher's elbows are fragile. Solid bench players.