I was recently asked by FantasyPros.com to explain why I was so down on Nick Swisher this season as a contirbutor to their OVERVALUED PLAYERS feature article. Here's what I offered up:

My Rank: #248
Consensus: #162
ADP: #149

For the past few seasons Nick Swisher has proven to be a fantasy asset. Not only does he boast multiple fantasy position eligibility (OF/1B) in most standard formats, but he has proven to be a nice source of power. Over the last four years he’s averaged 26 HR and 87 RBI per campaign.

Swisher is on the wrong-side of 30 though and will no longer benefit from playing in the revamped Bronx Bomber lineup or from getting his half of his at bats at the launching pad that is Yankee Stadium. One of his greatest assets has been his durability averaged 149 games per year over eight seasons, but now that he’s 32 years old that number could also dip.

The consistency still makes him worthy of a roster spot in deeper mixed leagues, but his current ADP of 149 suggests he’ll come at a price that owners should be advised not to pay, especially for a guy that is mostly a two-category contributor.

The FantasyPros.com consensus ranking has Swisher going off the board midway through Round 13 in a 12-team league, but there is better value to be had there for a guy a guy that I project to hit .260 with 22 HR and 75 RBI.  Go with younger options that have more upside.

MORE OF MY OVERVALUED PICKS

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Undervalued – 1B/3B/DH Mark Reynolds: The Indians should be called the One Trick Ponies, because their lineup is chock full of guys who bring only one skill to the table. Reynolds will knock the ball out of the yard. He’s good for 20-30 HR and around 80 RBI. After that, he will kill your team. But as a bench player or a cheap source of power, you actually could do worse. His consistent power can actually help your squad. Just know his limitations.

Overvalued – CF/RF Drew Stubbs and CF Michael Bourn: Both of these guys are one-trick ponies. In 4x4 or 5x5 leagues they’ll definitely get you a ton of steals, but will contribute next to nothing else for your fantasy squad. Don’t overpay for one category.

Sleeper – 3B Lonnie Chisenhall:  At a shallow fantasy position, you could do worse than this youngster, with tremendous upside. With the full-time gig at the hot corner his, Chisenhall can put up 20-plus homers and can even be counted on for double digit steals.

Bust – 1B Nick Swisher: Swisher has been consistent, something that’s usually a fantasy asset. The veteran has averaged 25.8 HRs during his entire career. So, why is he listed here under bust? This is the least talented team that Swisher has played on, and he’s hitting cleanup. Some of his career numbers are a result of having so much other talent and offensive weapons around him. Not the case in Cleveland where he’ll need the likes of Stubbs and Bourn to get on for him in order to have those same quality numbers. You could do worse than Swisher, but a decline is likely, so draft accordingly.

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With the Cleveland Indians visiting Great American Ballpark this weekend for three games with an interstate rivals, the Cincinnati Reds, it’s time to examine which team from the Buckeye State has a better chance of making it to the postseason this year.

INDIANS (42-37)
2nd place AL Central, 0.5 game back of Detroit

I was reluctant to buy into the Indians’ hot start, but there team has exceeded my expectations. They’ve cooled off quite a bit since the opening month yet they still find themselves five games over the .500-mark.

The pitching staff has been the most surprising part of the team with Justin Masterson pitching like ace, although he is 0-6 over his last 11 starts despite posting a 3.34 ERA. Young arms Josh Tomlin (3.86 ERA) and Carlos Carrasco (3.54 ERA) have combined to win 17 games.  Closer Chris Perez (2.37 ERA, 19 SV) anchors a solid bullpen.

Designated Travis Hafner has been the spark plug of the offense. The team has missed his bat during Interleague games on the road.  Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is on his way to the All-Star Game with a breakout season. Cleveland will be without Shin Soo-Choo (thumb) until August or longer and that may be tough to overcome. They need the struggling Carlos Santana (.226 BA) and Grady Sizemore (.177 BA, .250 OBP since May 1) to contribute.

The division is favorable with only the Tigers joining the Indians on the winning-side of the ledger in the standings. The White Sox have been playing better and could still make a run. The Royals and Twins are out of it and should prove to be easy prey. Aside from a six-game stint in August on the road at Boston and Texas, the schedule sets up nicely for the Tribe after the All-Star break.

REDS (42-40)
Tied for 3rd place NL Central, 2 games back of MIL/STL

Unlike the Indians, the bar was set high for the Reds entering the 2011 campaign as the defending NL Central champs.  The team has struggled with consistency throughout the season, especially at the plate.

Reigning MVP Joey Votto has been solid, but the power numbers (11 HR, 50 RBI) are down. Brandon Phillips is emerging as one of the best in the game, but fellow Gold Glove infielder, third baseman Scott Rolen (54 games), has struggled to stay in the lineup. Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs have endured their growing pains and the team has struggled to get production from the left field and shortstop position.

The rotation, considered a strength of the team at the beginning of the season, has been marred by injuries and early-inning troubles.  Johnny Cueto (5-2, 1.84 ERA in 10 starts) has been stellar since his return from the DL and Bronson Arroyo (three straight wins) and Edison Volquez (coming off best outing vs. TB) have shown some promise of late. Getting youngsters Mike Leake, Homer Bailey and Travis Wood to elevate their games will be a must. The bullpen has been reliable, including closer Francisco Cordero.

The NL Central is up for grabs and the Reds are the mix, but they will have to beat the other teams in the division. Their schedule is a bear. Cincinnati doesn’t play a team under .500 until the Astros come to town August 1. That’s entire month against teams with winning records. Things lighten up a bit after that, but the Redlegs will have little margin for error.

FINAL TAKE: Though I can see both teams making it into October, the Indians have a better path. Either team is going to have to win their divisions though as the Wildcard spot will come at a steeper price. However, if Choo doesn't make it back soon their playoff hopes take a big hit.

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1. Phillies (33-20) – Getting Chase Utley back healthy will help the offense
2. Indians (31-19) – Have opened up baseball’s biggest divisional lead
3. Red Sox (30-23) – The offense is the best in the American League
4. Cardinals (32-22) – St. Louis has gone 10-3 since getting swept by Reds
5. Marlins (30-21) – The Fish are a MLB-best seven games over .500 on road
6. Braves (30-24) – If the bats can get going, the Braves will be factor come October
7. Yankees (28-23) – They can score at will, but back end of rotation must step up
8. Brewers (29-24) – No place like home where the Brew Crew is 21-7
9. Rangers (28-25) – Happy to have Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz back in lineup
10. Rays (28-24) – Not sure they have the hitting to keep up with the Red Sox and Yankees
11. Diamondbacks (29-24) – Kirk Gibson’s young team has gone 18-9 during May
12. Giants (28-24) – The loss of Buster Posey is huge for NL’s lowest scoring team
13. Blue Jays (27-26) – Few teams are more fun to watch, but no chance in AL East
14. Angels (28-27) – Their pitching should keep them in striking distance in AL West
15. Reds (27-27) – A 2-8 road trip against three playoff teams shows Reds’ true colors
16. Tigers (26-26) – Detroit can score runs, but their pitching has been too inconsistent
17. Rockies (25-27) – Dropping 8 of their last 10 has caused Colorado to fall down rankings
18. A’s (27-27) – Oakland leads the AL in ERA, but 11th in hitting and runs scored
19. Mariners (26-26) – Winners of 11 out of 15, Seattle is showing signs of life
20. Orioles (24-27) – Competitive, but simply not consistent enough to avoid losing season
21. Pirates (24-27) – Pirates have won three of last four series; better than years past
22. Mets (24-28) – The team is getting healthy, but look for a fire sale to begin shortly
23. White Sox (24-31) – Baseball’s biggest disappointment through first two months
24. Dodgers (24-30) – Way too much talent for this team to be this bad
25. Royals (23-29) – Only one team in AL has worse team ERA and 6-16 road record
26. Cubs (23-28) – Winning just 7 of 20 games inside division has them out of race
27. Padres (22-31) – No team in baseball has struggled more at home (9-20 @Petco Park)
28. Nationals (22-30) – Nats have lost four straight series and are already 10.5 games back
29. Twins (17-34) – Worst team ERA in AL, and 13th in hitting equals 100 losses this year
30. Astros (19-34) – The franchise appears to have hit rock bottom as young talent fizzles

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What a difference a week makes. One week ago the Cincinnati Reds were fresh off a three-game sweep over their division rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, and winners of five straight games and a 1.5 game lead in the N.L. Central.

Now just seven days later the team saw its losing streak extended to five games as they were swept by the Cleveland Indians. During the span the team endured a four-game swing in the standings and now find themselves back in second place, 1.5 games behind the Cardinals.

To make matters worse, the three-game set in Cleveland with just the beginning of a 10-game road trip with stops in Philadelphia and Atlanta before the team returns to the friendly confines of Great American Ballpark.

Consistency, or the lack of it, has been the team’s Achilles’ heel all season long. After starting the year out 5-0, the Reds went 9-15 over the next 24 games. The team bounced out of that funk as they won 11 of their next 13 games before their current five-game skid.

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1. Phillies (25-14) – Going to be tough to knock them out of top spot
2. Indians (24-13) – Still not a believer, but they are running away w/AL Central
3. Marlins (23-16) – The most underrated team in baseball; need to maintain it
4. Reds (23-17) – Showed they are best in NL Central by sweeping STL
5. Giants (22-17) – Defending champs starting to get some offense, but need more
6. Braves (23-19) – Won series vs. PHI; will make playoffs one way or another
7. Rays (23-17) – Rebounded from atrocious start and have Longoria back
8. Tigers (22-18) – Seven-game winning streak has them on rise
9. Rangers (21-19) – Need Hamilton back and more consistency from rotation
10. Red Sox (20-20) – Despite struggles still my AL pick for World Series
11. Yankees (20-18) – No pitching, clubhouse turmoil hold them back
12. Angels (22-19) – Benefactors of weak division and soft schedule
13. Cardinals (22-19) – Going nowhere unless they upgrade their bullpen
14. Blue Jays (20-20) – Toronto can score with any team in baseball
15. Rockies (20-18) – Streaky play leaves me scratching my head
16. Royals (20-19) – A nice young nucleus breeds optimism
17. A’s (20-20) – Pitching will keep them around in AL West race
18. Brewers (19-21) – Underachievement early in the season could prove costly
19. Mets (19-21) – Injuries have haunted the Mets early on
20. Orioles (19-20) – Got out of the gate fast, but have come back down to earth
21. Dodgers (19-22) – Have a tough time seeing this team better than .500
22. Pirates (18-22) – Another losing season ahead for the Bucs
23. Cubs (17-21) – The most overpaid team in baseball will not be a factor
24. Nationals (19-21) – Showing improvement; but still doomed for last place
25. White Sox (17-24) – Bad start causes concern; could still back in division race
26. Diamondbacks (17-22) – Rebuilding going in right direction in desert
27. Padres (17-23) – Now you know why they sold off Adrian Gonzalez
28. Mariners (16-23) – Sleepless in Seattle, this team is boring to watch
29. Astros (15-25) – Hands down the NL’s worst team; 100-loss season ahead
30. Twins (12-26) – The biggest disappointment in baseball this year

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The 2011 season started badly for the Cleveland Indians as they dropped their first two games.

Starting pitching was thought to be one of the primary concerns surrounding the team and after watching Opening Day starter Fausto Carmona getting lit up for 10 runs in three innings it appeared as if it was going to be a long year for the Tribe.

Since then the team has went 8-0, its longest winning streak in over three years.

The much maligned rotation has been a big factor to the team’s success during this span posting a 6-0 record with a 1.55 ERA as the unit has allowed just 33 hits and walked 19 batters in 52.1 innings of work.

Former Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson has looked masterful and youngsters Carlos Carrasco and Josh Tomlin have shown promise. Carmona bounced back nicely in his second start and the team is hopeful that the 27-year old sinker-baller can find the form he had just a few short years ago.

The offense is filled with some young stars in the making in catcher Carlos Santana and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo. Veteran Travis Hafner has enjoyed a resurgence early on after a few injury-riddled years and is batting .355 with 2 HR and 6 RBI early on. Youngster Asdrubal Cabrera already has 4 HR and 10 RBI while batting .317 and newcomer Orlando Cabrera is off to hot start as well with a .361 average.

FINAL TAKE: Mirage – The AL Central doesn’t blow me away by any means so it will not surprise me if the Indians stick around in the race, but I still have a tough time seeing them getting too many games over .500. They have the potential to surprise, but I am sticking to my guns until they can perform at this level over a more lengthy period of time.

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2010 Rewind: 69-93, 4th place in the AL Central. Injuries plagued the Indians in 2010 and on a team lacking depth that causes major problems. The team finished near the bottom in nearly every batting and pitching category. A rebuilding mode was already in place before the season and hit full gear throughout 2010.

The Good: The Indians have a couple of guys to build their young team around. On offense, Shin-Soo Choo has shown the ability to do everything. He hit 22 HRs, drove in 90 runs and stole 22 bases while batting .300 last season. Those numbers should improve as the players around him get better. Fausto Carmona re-emerged as a dominant pitcher on the mound. He won 13 games while posting a 3.77 ERA last season. More importantly for a young team, he logged more than 210 innings and threw four complete games.

The Bad: The Tribe’s superstar centerfielder Grady Sizemore blew out his knee in mid-may last season and was lost for the year. Recovery has been difficult and it does not look like he’ll be ready for Opening Day. Running is a big part of Sizemore’s game and this injury could hamper him for some time.

Biggest Loss: Outside of injury concerns to Sizemore and starting catcher Carlos Santana, the Indians have not lost any major personnel from last year. Former top prospect Andy Marte opted for free agency but he will be seen as a bust in Cleveland, never having played in more than 80 games in a season and posting a lifetime .218 batting average.

Best Addition: Like any other club rebuilding with young talent, the Indians have brought in a few veterans for support. Right-handed hitting Austin Kearns will spell the three lefties projected to start in the Indians outfield. Adam Everett and Orlando Cabrera will help the young infielders progress and provide good leadership in the clubhouse.

Fantasy Slant: Shin-Soo Choo has big upside in both real and fantasy baseball. He will contribute in all categories and may end up as one of the top outfielders by the end of the year. Catcher Carlos Santana’s season ended in early August last year thanks to a bad collision busting his knee. It looks like he’ll be ready for opening day and should be targeted as one of the top fantasy catchers. Carmona somehow managed to win 13 games for the Tribe last year. If this team improves at all, he has the stuff to pick up a few more while posting another sub-4.00 ERA.

Final Take: The good news for the Indians is that anyone could win the AL Central (yes, even the Royals!) The Twins, Sox and Tigers are not any better than they were last season, and in some ways they all took steps backward. If everything goes right and they avoid injuries and a few prospects shine and they get a little lucky, the Indians could be in the hunt for the division this year. But in reality, the Indians are at least a year away from being competitive once again…2011 Record: 73-89, fourth in the AL Central.

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Check out these crazy Indians fans booing a guy wearing a Lebron James' Heat jersey...

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Here are some of the big moves from the trading deadline....

MARTINEZ HEADED TO BOSTON 
The Boston Globe confirms that, according to a baseball source, the Red Sox have traded Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price to the Indians for Victor Martinez.

REDS FILL NEED WITH ROLEN 
SI.com reports the Blue Jays have agreed to trade third baseman Scott Rolen to the Reds. Rolen must agree to waive his no-trade clause for the deal to be completed.

TWINS GET CABRERRA
The Twins have acquired shortstop Orlando Cabrera from the A's for Class A shortstop Tyler Ladendorf, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com.

YANKEES ADD DEPTH WITH HAIRSTON JR.
The New York Post reported the Hairston move to the Yankees and did not say whom the Reds got in return.

LAROCHE ON MOVE AGAIN
The Red Sox completed a swap with the Atlanta Braves, sending recently acquired Adam LaRoche to the Atlanta Braves for Casey Kotchman, according to the Boston Herald

TIGERS HELP ROTATION WITH WASHBURN
The Detroit Free-Press reports that the Tigers have traded for veteran left-handed starter Jarrod Washburn from Seattle for left-hander Luke French and a minor leaguer.

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