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Ryan Dempster is a wanted man, and it’s no wonder considering his sparkling 2.14 ERA and the Chicago Cubs overall futility. But the Washington Nationals should be aggressive in their attempts to obtain Dempster, if they are serious about winning this year.

The Cubs are sellers, and when it comes to Dempster there seems to be a healthy amount of buyers.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Nationals are one of them. He writes: “The Ryan Dempster Derby currently is a battle between the Braves, Nationals and Cardinals, people familiar with the talks suggest.”

Dempster obviously has the stuff to help any pitching rotation, but his experience could be a real asset to the Nats in a pennant race.

Washington has only two pitchers (Mike Gonzalez 34 and Tom Gorzelanny 30) who are 30 years old or older. Dempster is a 35-year-old, 14-year veteran, who has pitched in two postseasons. That experience would be valuable to a relatively young staff.

Per Heyman, the Cubs are seeking young arms in compensation for trading Dempster. That could be an issue for the Nats.

Will they be willing to part with a prospect like Ivan Pineyro to nab Dempster?

Pineyro is a 20-year-old standout hurler in rookie ball in the Nats’ system. He could be a future star, and a the type of pitcher the Cubs want in return for Dempster. This potential scenario begs the question: how do the Nationals view themselves?

Are they a team of the future that just happened to contend, or a team of now looking to maximize on every opportunity to win?

Many people didn’t picture the Nats contending so soon, this season may even be a surprise to them.

If they still see themselves as a team of the future, they may not want to part with a valuable young prospect for a short-term solution like Dempster.

How the Nats pursue Dempster will tell us who they think they are.

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Kansas City Royals‘ fans will have three very good reasons to watch the MLB Futures Game. Their trio of star minor leaguers are a glimpse into the Royals’ bright future.

Things are looking up for the KC’s current big club already. They are just eight games under .500, and for KC that’s an improvement. They finished last season 20 games below the even mark, but after years of futility they showed some signs of promise.

Mike Moustakas, Alex Gordon and Billy Butler all had seasons that should have given Royals’ faithful something to feel good about. 

Each of them have built on that this season. Next up for the Royals could be the likes of Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi and Yordano Ventura.

The latter is the only one that will play for the World Team in the Futures Game. Myers and Odorizzi will be managed by Royals great George Brett for the USA team.

Ventura doesn’t look like a top-level starting pitcher at 5’11”, 150 pounds with bricks in his pockets, but he has an electric arm.

Watching him makes you think of Pedro Martinez. A guy small in stature, but with big-time stuff.

He’s 3-5 with a 3.30 ERA, but get this; he has struck out 98 batters in just 76.1 innings. He’s only in Class A Advanced, but he certainly looks like the real deal.

If there’s one thing the Royals need it’s an ace. Luke Hochevar has yet to come anywhere close to his status as a former No. 1 pick. A spot at the top of the Royals rotation is there for the taking.

Myers is a former third-round pick, and he could see the majors before any of the three. At 6’3″ 205 pounds, he has pop and he’s a decent athlete in the outfield.

He could inspire the Royals to move Jeff Francoeur, who could be a free agent after next season. It seems Myers fits best as a corner outfielder and Gordon should be a mainstay.

Myers has hit .315 with 14 HR and 42 RBI in 48 games at Triple A Omaha. He’s as ready as he can be, and could be a September call-up if he doesn’t get the call before then.

Finally, there is Odorizzi, another solid starting pitching prospect. He doesn’t have the overpowering stuff that Ventura has, but he has great control.

He has only 26 BB in over 85 IP this season. He is also with Triple A Omaha, and because the Royals need starting pitching badly it wouldn’t be crazy to consider bringing him up to take a look.

Kansas City is 24th in Team ERA in the majors, so could he really be much worse?

If the Royals play their cards right a nucleus of Moustakas, Gordon, Butler, Myers, Ventura and Odorizzi could lead to respectability, and dare I say—contention.

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The Chicago White Sox are in the thick of things early on in the AL Central, and acquiring Kevin Youkilis could be a nice boost to their playoff hopes. Per ESPN, the Southsiders are considered the favorites to acquire the apparently very available Red Sox‘s third baseman.

Most didn’t expect the White Sox to contend in the AL Central, and now that they are in good position (only 1.5 games behind division-leading Cleveland), they must make the best of their contending status.

Youkilis is known as the Greek God of Walks due to his patience and eye at the plate. That approach could benefit the White Sox. The team has drawn only 213 walks this season, which is just below the leave average of 218.

Youkilis’ ability to draw the free pass has waned over the past couple years, but I attribute much of that to him battling injuries. I believe that the recent decrease in playing time and the rehab assignments have allowed him to get as healthy as he’s been in over two years.

Now, he just needs the at-bats. 

With the White Sox, Youkilis would get an opportunity to play regularly, if not every day.

The current player logging the most time at third base for the White Sox is Orlando Hudson. The O-Dog has been a huge disappointment, as he is almost literally hitting his weight. If he were Prince Fielder’s size, then that would be acceptable. But Hudson is 190 pounds, and that isn’t cutting it.

Wouldn’t this be a more promising site at the plate than Hudson?

Landing with the White Sox would give Youkilis a fresh start without the presence of a player breathing down his neck. In Boston, it’s obvious they want Will Middlebrooks to be the man at third base, and rightfully so.

Honestly speaking, the bar isn’t that high to reach improvement in Chicago. They have a gaping hole at third, and it’s almost certain that Youkilis would, at the very least, be an improvement.

The time has come for Youk to move on—or should I say, change his Sox.

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Washington Nationals rookie right fielder Bryce Harper had an Amar’e Stoudemire moment in last night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. While showing his frustrations over a sub-par night, he inadvertently slapped himself in the head with his own bat.

Fortunately for him and the Nationals, he wasn’t seriously hurt, and according to Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post, Harper is in the lineup tonight.

Your Nats right fielder tonight: Bam Bam Harper. He’s in the lineup.

— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) May 12, 2012

OK, everyone, he’s alright, it’s cool to laugh now.

Harper was 0-for-5 for the game; after his fourth at-bat he smashed his war club against the clubhouse wall, it rebounded and smacked him on the noggin, right above his left eye.

It opened up a cut that required 10 stitches to close, but doctors have given him the OK to play.

Here are a few of the images posted by Dan Steinberg and The Washington Post:

Harper didn’t do anything crazy or unforgivable. Frustrated athletes, and specifically baseball players, have smashed their bats over strikeouts and double plays in the past. It just so happened Harper’s bat hit back, and caught the teen sensation in the dome.

He is only 19 years old, but with such high expectations, he is putting a ton of pressure on himself.

Harper confirmed this notion after last night’s game. He said this to Kilgore:

“I just got caught up in the moment,” Harper said. “I want to do so well. It just got me.”

At some point he’ll relax, and realize he doesn’t have to do it all every night and in every at-bat. His talent is undeniable, he just needs to be patient.

Things aren’t going to come as easy for him on this level as they have at every other level of baseball.

As he found out last night, even the clubhouse walls are tougher in the major leagues.

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There is a huge difference between popularity and production.

Big names only count for high jersey sales. That is especially the case in fantasy sports. In this instance, if the guy isn’t hitting, then he isn’t worth having on your team. 

I don’t care if his name is…

Derek Jeter

This Yankees’ legend is long in the tooth for sure, but that isn’t reason enough to throw up the caution sign on the future Hall of Famer.

Consider this: Jeter’s HR and SB numbers have dipped three years in a row, and he’ll be 38 this season. It’s true, he missed 31 games in 2011, but the older he gets, the better the chances are that he’ll miss more games.

He did hit .297 in 2011, but he’s a risky proposition, especially if he’s your No. 1 SS. 

Jeter isn’t the only famous Yankee with a huge caution sign next to their name on your fantasy draft board.

Alex Rodriguez

A-Rod has been hampered by injures for the past four years. His HR numbers have dipped every year since his MVP season in 2007, as has his SB numbers.

Last season was especially troubling for A-Rod as he put up his lowest totals in HR, RBI and OPS in 14 seasons. Of course the injuries played a major part, and fantasy owners have to be worried that A-Rod is trending downward fast.

I have predicted that A-Rod will have a resurgent year, but you can’t ignore the potential to flop as well.

Albert Pujols

Pujols is the greatest right-handed hitter I’ve ever seen, but if you consider the following factors, it’s easy to see how a flop could be in store for the Machine.

Albert is 31 and he missed 15 games last season with an arm injury. Potential fantasy owners would have to hope this doesn’t become a reoccurring issue moving forward.

Also, amidst his greatness, one might have missed that his HR, RBI and batting average numbers have decreased for three consecutive years.

Sure, the .297, 37 HR and 99 RBI from 2011 is stellar, but what are you expecting from him in 2012?

Would you take him in your first three picks?

Most would, but if the injury bug bites, it’ll be a painfully wasted pick.

Last but not least, this is his first season away from St. Louis, and the first season of a huge 10-year contract with the Angels. Is it possible there could be some pressure?

Therein lies the risk and flop potential.

CJ Wilson

Wilson got paid like an ace, but is he really?

He is 31-15 with an ERA just over 3.00 over the past two years, but how will he perform after signing a big contract with the Angels?

As solid as the Angels’ lineup could be, it won’t compare to the offensive juggernaut that the Rangers field.

That factor alone could shave a couple wins off Wilson’s season total, not to mention what the pressure of a big contract can do.

This is just something to consider if you find yourself in a position of choice, and weighing Wilson against a pitcher with less flop potential.

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You don’t think Adam Dunn all of a sudden just forgot how to hit a baseball do you?

After all, this was something he was remarkably consistent at doing over the past seven years. During that time span, Dunn cranked out at least 38 HR every season.

Then 2011 happened, and that was the worse season any major free agent has had in the history of sports, let alone baseball.

Dunn hit .159 with 11 HR and 42 RBI in 122 games. 

That said, how can he not improve?

If he hits .220 with 22 HR and 80 RBI, he nearly doubles his production in every major category.

Dunn let the mental aspect of the game eat him up, but it’s a new season, and having gone through what he did last year, he’s better equipped to deal with struggles.

The expectations won’t be as high, because quite frankly, almost everyone is down on him.

Make no mistake, Dunn will always strike out a ton, but in 2012, he will deliver numbers much closer to what the White Sox were expecting from him last season.

Kendry Morales’ Triumphant Return

Morales has been snake bitten by injuries over the past two seasons. After hitting a walk-off grand slam in May of 2010, Morales celebrated by leaping in the air and landing on home plate in celebration.

He broke his ankle in that celebration and before this spring, he had not played in a major league game since.

In 2009, Morales displayed his amazing potential by hitting .306, with 34 HR and 108 RBI. The following year, Morales homered 11 times in 51 games before his freak injury.

This is a big-time power hitter whose full potential we never got a chance to see.

He’s healthy now and ready to resume his enormous run-producing rate. Thanks to Albert Pujols, he can DH instead of playing first base and should be hitting with runners on base often.

Johan Santana Is Not Done Yet

The oft-injured Santana will likely slip in your fantasy draft. Be the smart one and snatch him up in the middle to late rounds. Santana had a rough shoulder surgery (repairing a torn capsule), and his innings will be kept down early in the season. Right now, he is making a transition from power pitching to location and command.

He was never throwing triple digits, but the velocity he lost was troubling. What I trust with Santana is his ability to control the corners and change speeds. It’s key for him and the effectiveness of his circle changeup.

Over the past two seasons, Santana is 24-18, so it isn’t as if he has missed an entire season.

He isn’t an 18 or 20-game winner anymore, but he has some value, especially considering where you can get him. 

Ozzie is the Man to Fix Big Z

Big Z disgraced himself in his Cubs’ exit, but he still has nasty stuff. His emotions have always been his biggest problem.

Carlos, meet Ozzie Guillen.

The two actually know each other very well, and that is one major reason I placed him here. Zambrano has to respect the man in charge; it got to a point where that wasn’t the case in Chicago.

Whether it makes sense or not, he has a ton of respect for Guillen, and that will help keep his emotions in check.

From there, it’s about keeping that sinker down. If he does that with the lineup the Marlins have, he could win 15 games this season.

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Who is the one guy that you would select if you’re fortunate enough to have the first pick in your fantasy baseball draft?

Before you answer that question, I’d love to hear how many people would have selected 2011’s fantasy monsters: Matt Kemp, Ryan Braun and Jose Bautista at the beginning of last year. 

Maybe a few, but it’s surely not as many that will be looking their way now. If you take injuries in football out of the equation, baseball is the trickiest sport of all to predict fantasy studs. There just aren’t a ton of guys who are monsters year in and year out.

As I think about the guys that project as must-haves in fantasy baseball 2012, I think about my favorites to contend for league MVP. Mind you, this is my projected list, you may pull up your fantasy machine database and see a different ranking.

In my eyes, the players that will do the most damage statistically and contend for hardware at the season’s end are as follows:

1. Matt Kemp – Brian’s Stat Prediction: .325 BA, 39 HR, 114 RBI and 40 SB

Kemp is the best player in the majors and I thought he deserved the MVP last season. I’m always a fan of giving the MVP to the best player if his team is over .500.

At 27 years old, there is no age concern and he isn’t hampered by injuries. In fact, he’s missed only 11 games over the past four seasons. Kemp is primed for another ridiculous season. If you get the first pick in your draft, you better punch No. 27.

2. Justin Verlander – Brian’s Stat Prediction: 24-4, 280 K, ERA 2.05

The AL Cy Young and reigning MVP will be right back at the top of both categories again in 2012. Looking for a Cy Young/MVP hangover?

I don’t think you’re going to find it here. So far this spring Verlander has dominated with a 0.93 ERA and 13:1 K:BB ratio in 9.1 innings.

Last year he won 24 games. I’m almost crazy enough to say that total will go up with Prince Fielder and a improving Austin Jackson on the roster, but I will hold off on that prediction and say that he’ll at least equal that total and anchor your fantasy squad.

3. Alex Rodriguez – Brian’s Stat Prediction: .279, 40 HR, 130 RBI

Say what you want about A-Rod, but when he’s healthy he is as automatic as anyone in the majors. Rodriguez is healthy now, and I believe he will have one more monster season in his illustrious career.

He’s 36 and injuries have limited him over the past three seasons. However, he’s never hit less than 40 HR in any season that he’s played at least 145 games. He has never had less than 100 RBI in any season where he’s played that often, either.

The Yankees lineup is stacked as usual, and the RBI opportunities will be there.

With A-Rod, it’s not about down years, it’s about if he’s healthy or injured. I believe he will be healthy this season and that will render big-time results.

4. Jose Bautista – Brian’s Stat Prediction: .280, 38 HR, 95 RBI

Bautista made the transition from slugger to all-around hitter last season. His averaged jumped 42 points, as he drew a league leading 132 walks. The Jays don’t have adequate protection for him in the lineup. If they did, his numbers would be even better.

Still, he has proven that he is no fluke and you can’t go wrong with him, especially considering the increased OBP with the walks.

5. Clayton Kershaw – Brian’s Stat Prediction: 20-6, 250 K, ERA 2.89

Kershaw is only 24 years old and is just moving into his prime as a pitcher. The NL Cy Young will be among the major’s best again.

6. Albert Pujols – Brian’s Stat Prediction: .315, 34 HR, 100 RBI

Albert will have a very solid year, but something tells me it won’t quite reach the MVP front-running totals some might expect. There is a lot of pressure to perform now.

7. Jacoby Ellsbury – Brian’s Stat Prediction: .325, 25 HR, 85 RBI, 39 SB

Ellsbury is the second-best CF in the majors. Were it not for Kemp, he’d probably be the best.

8. Miguel Cabrera – Brian’s Stat Prediction: .320, 35 HR, 115 RBI 

Miggy took a shot to the face from a line drive in the spring. He was lucky to have escaped a career-threatening injury. He is one of the major’s best all-around hitters. If he had speed and wasn’t on the same team as Verlander, he’d be a stronger MVP candidate.

9. Hunter Pence – Brian’s Stat Prediction: .315, 24 HR, 100 RBI, 20 SB

Pence is in a great position to have a huge year. He will likely fill in for Ryan Howard as a major run producer in the lineup while the big man is hurt.

10. Craig Kimbrel – Brian’s Stat Prediction: 50 Saves, 150 K

Young Mr. Kimbrel is just getting started. He’s only 23 years old, yet he tied for the NL lead in saves and struck out 127 in only 77 IP in 2011.

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I’ve got three guys that are ready to have the types of seasons that will anchor your fantasy teams. No they aren’t the obvious Ryan Brauns and Albert Pujols of the world. These are young talents that have shown flashes of greatness, but in 2012, they will explode.

First the best of the young Cubs:

Starlin Castro

The Cubs’ young shortstop has already had two seasons hitting over .300. Last season he lead the league in hits with 207. This is the season his power numbers will take a boost.

The 2012 season will be Castro’s third and this is generally the time when players of his physical stature and age group see a power numbers boost.

His numbers are already on the upswing. He tripled his HR total from 2010 in 2011, and added 25 RBI and 12 SB. Castro will continue his ascension up the list of NL’s elite players in 2012. Look for a .315/25/80 season from Castro this year.

Hunter Pence

Pence has always been a solid player, and after the trade from the lowly Astros to the Phillies last season that trend continued. In 54 regular season games, Pence hit .324, 11 HR and 35 RBI.

Believe it or not, those RBI numbers should go up as Pence is likely to hit third or fourth in the Phillies’ lineup while Ryan Howard is out. 

With Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley batting ahead of him and presumably getting on base, Pence should have ample opportunity to drive his run production up.

I predict Pence will deliver a .320 average with 120 RBI in 2012.

Mike Morse

The Nats’ power-hitter isn’t that young in age, he’s 29. But in experience, he’s still an up and comer. Last season was the first year he had more than 300 at bats in a season, and he really took advantage of it.

Morse blasted 31 HR, drove in 95 runners and hit .303. Morse does strike out a bit, as he fanned 126 times in 2011. He’s a free swinger but surprisingly enough, he hits for a high average, even in taking only 36 walks.

Morse is on the upswing in my opinion, and this feels like a 40 HR, 100 RBI season. He was always a highly touted prospect but serious injuries early in his career have hampered him. He is healthy now and is a legitimate stud.

Snatch him up if you get the chance.

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Baseball perfection is one of the most exciting, rare and unpredictable feats in all of sports. Yet here I am trying to predict who will hurl the next ultimate gem.

The last time we saw one, Roy Halladay pulled it off in a 1-0 victory over the then Florida Marlins in May of 2010. The fact that Halladay has done it so recently makes him an automatic candidate to pull it again, never mind the postseason no-no he threw that same year.

If Halladay does indeed throw another perfect game, he would make history in more than one way. He would become the only man in baseball history to be perfect more than once.

That puts into perspective just how rare this is. Since 1922, there have only been 15 thrown, and only 20 in the game’s history.

I did some deep digging, because that is just what I love to do, and I found a few interesting trends. The average age of the past 15 pitchers to throw a perfect game is 30. They have had an average of nine years MLB experience and a WHIP of 1.272 the previous season.

The most common season for a pitcher to throw a perfect game has been a player’s fourth season. Four players threw their masterpiece in their fourth year—most recently Dallas Braden of the Oakland A’s.

Older pitchers haven’t been shut out either, as four pitchers at 35 years old or older have accomplished the feat. Randy Johnson threw his at 40, in his 18th season.

While there aren’t any players that hit each of those numbers and categories exactly, there are a few players that come fairly close.

In light of these findings, as well as a few other fruits of my research, I’ve compiled a list of 20 pitchers that have the best shot at throwing the next perfect game.

I’ve grouped the players into four different categories. Behold the slideshow:

Begin Slideshow