Russell Martin  (C – LAD) –  Four to six weeks?  Ugh.  Those of you waiting to get Martin at a discount this year will get an even bigger one if you are willing to gamble on the health of his groin.  This puts the best case scenario have Martin starting the season on the D.L., and realistically missing the first 3-4 weeks of the season.  Of course, groin injuries can be tricky, and can be easily re-agrivated.  When you are talking about a catcher who has to spend so much time in a crouch, that becomes a serious issue.  Not to mention, a good portion of the value Martin has to offer is that his speed is well above average for a catcher.  A leg injury could depress his stolen base numbers for a significant portion of the season.  Downgrade him significantly on your cheat sheets.

Torii Hunter  (OF – LAA) –  Speaking of groin injuries, Torii Hunter just re-agrivated his while sliding into second base.  Details on how serious it is are upcoming.  Outfielders use their legs a lot too, and the Angels can’t afford to lose Hunter for a long stretch of time.  I would expect them to be careful with their Gold Glove center fielder.

Ian Desmond  (SS – WAS) –  One of the more interesting position battles in 2010’s spring training is going on for the starting shortstop position on the Nationals.  Christian Guzman’s experience and veteran status make him the frontrunner, but he is still dealing with an arm injury (and let’s face it, he isn’t that awesome when healthy).  Meanwhile, Ian Desmond is getting jerked around.  It looked like they were going to let him start at second base until the team signed Adam Kennedy, and now Desmond is fighting for a spot on the roster.  Desmond offers a blend of power and speed, and the ability to hit for average and take a walk.  Fantasy GM’s should track this battle closely, as Desmond could be a nice sleeper if he can win the job.

Angel Guzman  (RP – CHC) –  It looks like Guzman is headed for shoulder surgery, and the race is on for the setup role in the Cub bullpen.  John Grabow and Jeff Gray are the likely candidates to set up for closer Carlos Marmol.  This is good news for Marmol owners, as his leash just got even longer should he struggle again in 2010.

Josh Fields  (3B/OF – KC) –  Alex Gordon broke his thumb and will miss about a month of action.  While he should come back and re-claim the starting third base job, this gives Josh Fields a chance to prove that his bat belongs somewhere in the lineup.  Even if Gordon steps right back in at third, a solid month of production from Fields should give him a step up on the other outfielders on the team that are fighting for playing time.

Joe Nathan  (RP – MIN) –  Going for an MRI.  Uh oh.  Stay tuned for details, Matt Guerrier is the favorite for saves should Nathan miss the start of the season.