Hochevar's second shot at the Royals rotation was no less bumpy than the first, as many of his numbers worsened. Beneath the surface stats lies a silver lining, however: Hochevar had little trouble throwing strikes, as indicated by his 80/26 K/BB ratio after the All-Star break, adding to his appeal as an intriguing sleeper heading into 2010.

Davies opened the season by blanking the White Sox over seven innings, but when April ended, his ERA sat a woeful 4.85. That more or less sums up Davies' season in a nutshell: inconsistent and unpredictable. There's not enough here worth getting excited over, and it doesn't help that back and shoulder problems cost him the season's final few weeks. He should be healthy for Spring Training, but there figure to be a few challengers for the Royals rotation come spring, including Robinson Tejeda, who excited management and fantasy owners alike by surging late.

Myers went 4-3 with a 4.84 ERA this season, which was derailed in May by an injured right hip that required surgery in June. Myers rejoined the team in September as a relief pitcher, but strained his right latissimus dorsi muscle. That sidelined him for a couple more weeks. "I'll be fine," Myers said. "I've got friends and family up here, but there's always a time when change has to happen. If I don't fit their plans, that's fine with me." Don't dismiss the possibility of a comeback for Myers, who can still dial up his fastball and should be plenty motivated to prove himself outside of Philly.

Bumps and bruises are starting to catch up with the 33-year-old Guillen, who fought through knee and toe injuries to take part in the World Baseball Classic and to play 81 big league games. His run production hinges largely on health, so monitor his progress in Spring Training.

Everything was peachy for Bannister entering June, with his ERA at a sterling 2.79. From then on, however, things began to unravel, as AL hitters remembered how hittable the soft-tossing right-hander can be. Shoulder fatigue shut him down for the season's final month, meaning he'll have to once again fight for a spot in one of the AL's least consistent rotations.

That move was hardly a surprise, as Lee went 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA in 12 starts after coming over from Cleveland in July, then went 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA during the postseason. Altogether, the left-hander went 14-13 with a 3.22 ERA and a 181/43 K/BB ratio over 231 2/3 innings in the regular season. At 31, he's in the prime of his career, and he'll be among the top-ranked starting pitchers heading into next year's drafts.

While not overpowering on the hill, Fister pieced together a respectable rookie campaign on his ability to paint the corners (2.21 BB/9 rate). He won't top 200 strikeouts anytime soon (5.31 K/9 rate), but he controls the strike zone well enough to hack it as a mid-rotation guy. Nothing is guaranteed, however, as the Mariners have a slew of potential starters that includes Carlos Silva, Luke French, Garrett Olson and Jason Vargas, so Fister will need to earn a spot out of Spring Training.

The 40-year-old Weathers went 4-6 with a 3.92 ERA, a 37/28 K/BB ratio and one save in 68 appearances for the Reds and Brewers this past season. Given his track record, he's likely to land with a team in need of an experienced bullpen arm, though his days of being a viable fantasy option are probably finished.

While the future Hall of Famer is nearing the end of the road, he showed in 2009 that he still has something left in the tank. Griffey’s return to the Mariners energized the franchise’s fan base so it is very possible he comes back for another year. In that case, fellow DH Mike Sweeney would likely not return as the club looks to inject more youth and versatility into their lineup.

Crisp and Olivo are eligible to file for free agency, while Yabuta can elect for free agency if he doesn’t sign a 2010 Major League contract with the Royals by Nov. 16. The 30-year-old Crisp batted just .228 with three homers and 13 steals before undergoing season-ending rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders in July, and he's no sure thing to be ready by Spring Training. The 31-year-old Olivo batted .249 with a career-high 23 homers and 65 RBIs in '09, but the Royals have another established backstop in John Buck and the younger Brayan Pena on board, so this likely was a cost-cutting move. Yabuta turned in disappointing numbers during his time with the Royals (7.14 ERA), and spent much of the last two seasons in the Minors.

This news was announced shortly after the White Sox parted ways with Jermaine Dye, so it appears likely that Teahen, who hit .271 with 12 homers and 50 RBIs in '09, will take over right field for the South Siders. Things aren't quite as clear for the Royals, who already have Alex Gordon at third and Alberto Callaspo at second. Callaspo batted .300 with 11 homers and 73 RBIs this past season, but the Royals are reportedly looking for a defensive upgrade at second, and Getz (25 SB in '09) would also infuse the lineup with a dose of speed. Gordon was tabbed as a cornerstone-type player when he first joined the Royals in '07, but he's yet to take off offensively, and he stumbled to a .232 average, six jacks and 22 RBIs in an injury-shortened '09 campaign. Fields, who blasted 23 homers as a rookie in '07 but finished with a .222-7-30 line this past season, may primarily serve as an insurance option in case Gordon gets hurt again.

This is a move that makes sense for both clubs, as Alcides Escobar is the shortstop of the future for the Brewers, while Gomez had to fight for playing time in an outfield that also featured Denard Span, Michael Cuddyer and Delmon Young. Hardy stumbled to a .229 average and 11 homers in 2009, but he averaged .280-25-77 over the previous two seasons, and he's fully capable of a bounceback campaign at 27. Gomez also turned disappointing numbers in '09 (.229 AVG, .623 OPS), but he's just 23, so there's still a chance he can develop into a potent top-of-the-order catalyst. His acquisition all but spells an end to Mike Cameron's tenure in Milwaukee.

Webb made just one start in 2009 before going on the DL with shoulder pain, an injury that eventually required season-ending surgery in August. Prior to this season, the right-hander had been one of the most durable and dominant starters in baseball. Webb won the NL Cy Young Award in '06, and he finished as the runner-up in each of the next two seasons. He is expected to be good to go by the start of Spring Training.

Dye racked up 27 homers and 81 RBIs in 2009, but a measly .179 average after the All-Star break dropped his overall mark to .250. Given that he'll turn 36 in January, there are some questions about the veteran slugger's ability to bounce back and be a highly productive regular again.

Although Saunders enjoyed a solid season at Triple-A Tacoma, his run as Seattle's regular left fielder was marred by inconsistency. What he does bring to the table is defensive range, which the Mariners value highly. If they can't reel in a proven corner outfielder, the 22-year-old Saunders could wind manning left once more. At this point, his primary source of competition is injury-prone speedster Endy Chavez.