Alexei Ramirez 2009

A lot of people seem to be high on Alexei Ramirez in 2009, especially given the weak options available after the top few middle infielders. He certainly put up very acceptable numbers in 2008, but I think he's much more likely to be a disappointment in 2009 than a bargain. He provides a decent combination of power and speed (for his position), and doesn't strike out that much despite the fact that he basically swings at everything. Because of that, there's been some speculation that 'his upside would be Vlad Guerrero'. Actually, Guerrero would be way, way past Ramirez's upside. The problem is, Ramirez is already 27 years old. He's not a young kid with years of improvement ahead of him. If he takes even a smalls step backwards from last year's performance, he's not even really a prospect - just a utility infielder.