By JIMMY D / Busting out and busting up on baseball | Jimmy's archive

There will be busted knees, busted egos and busted fantasy rosters in 2006, just like every other year.

How to avoid too many of these busts crashing your roster is a tricky chore that has almost as much to do with good luck as good management. But you can minimize the potential grief by using your old noodle.

There are countless marquee names your ill-informed competitors will likely jump on way too early and you must resist the temptation to take flyers on them. This is not to say they have no value, but you have to pick your spot.

For example:

Eric Gagne
Dodgers manager Grady Little is so paranoid about his goateed Canuck closer that he plans tight restrictions on his pitch counts. The parameters are so tight that even if his surgically repaired elbow holds up, he will still lose out on plenty of save chances.

Little told the Los Angeles Times that Gagne will not be called upon to pitch in the 8th inning nor will he be expected under any circumstances to throw two innings a game.

Little added that set-up man Danys Baez would get the save opportunity if Gagne had thrown 25 or more pitches the day before. So tread carefully here and flag Baez as possible insurance late in your draft.

Gary Sheffield
Mr. Quick Bat avoided much of the steroid mess last year by admitting he drank flaxseed oil or used some of the BALCO magic ointment. Now the new Barry Bonds book Game of Shadows has implicated Sheffy in much more, so we expect the collateral damage and constant media nagging to wear him down.

A.J. Burnett
We mentioned his recurring arm issues but did not mention his superb home numbers as a Marlin the past few years and his weak road numbers. Add the fact that he moves to the AL where he doesn’t get to strike out pitchers three times per start with the fact is ERA was more than a run-per-game higher away from pitcher-happy Dolphins Stadium and you have a question mark here despite the hype.

Nomar Garciaparra
Nomah is no more the dominant player of the early 90s. He’s hurt a lot and moves to Dodger Stadium, a much different home field than his decent fantasy productions of the past at hitter-friendly Fenway and Wrigley.

Alfonso Soriano
Less concerned about cavernous RFK Stadium or switch to the NL than I am about his attitude with the switch to left field. He made a couple of defensive gaffes this weekend and may finally be ready for some tutelage, according to the Washington Nationals official website. His teammates are being supportive so far, but teams aplenty have been wrecked by bad attitudes.

Todd Jones
If Jones saves 20 games this year, Jimmy will his shirt. Revived his career with some inexplicably competent stats in Miami last year, but cannot possibly repeat them in Detroit. At some point, Fernando Rodney will take this job, I will avoid Jones like the plague.

Ken Griffey
Hands up all those who think the brittle former fantasy stud can manage another relatively healthy season? That’s what I thought. Let someone else take him too high.

Jose Mesa
Hothead Mesa goes to Denver (insert laughter here) where the ball floats out. Could be the first closer with an ERA over 20.

Bob Wickman
The Tribe failed to sign anyone good, so they signed Wickman again.

Barry Bonds
Jimmy sees Bonds doing everything he can this year to dodge media, dog injuries and stay off the field. He knows his reputation is shot and I don’t think he wants to pass Ruth or Aaron and have the accomplishment chastised.

Speaking of busts, the 2006 March Madness bracket got busted out of shape with upsets galore. For the first time since Duran Duran dominated the airwaves in the mid-80s, none of the top seeds will play in the Final Four.

Villanova and UConn were both upset Sunday, moving No. 11 George Mason into the final weekend against Florida. UCLA, which brings a swarming defence, and LSU, armed with the nimblest 320-pounder since another LSU alum named Shaq played there, will play in the other semi-final Saturday.

Jimmy D