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The Arizona Diamondbacks attempted to upgrade their second-base position by way of subtraction, trading away incumbent Aaron Hill on Saturday to the Milwaukee Brewers in a deal that netted them shortstop Jean Segura.  

According to the Brewers’ official Twitter account, Arizona dealt Hill, right-handed pitcher Chase Anderson, shortstop Isan Diaz and cash to Milwaukee in exchange for Segura and right-handed pitcher Tyler Wagner. 

“In Chase Anderson and Aaron Hill, we are adding two proven major league contributors who will impact our team this year,” Brewers general manager David Stearns said, per the Associated Press. “Chase is a young starting pitcher who has already enjoyed success at the major league level. Aaron has a long history of production and positional versatility.”

As for the Diamondbacks, snagging Segura is a major win. As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel‘s Tom Haudricourt noted, Milwaukee was motivated to move the 25-year-old with ascendant minor league shortstop Orlando Arcia in line to make his major league debut sooner rather than later. 

MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy broke down when Arcia could arrive in the Brewers lineup: 

MLB Network’s Jon Heyman and Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan broke down the move further from Milwaukee’s perspective: 

Segura, who was an All-Star in 2013 and batted .257 with a career-best 50 RBI last season, is under team control for three more seasons, per Spotrac. However, a shift may be on the way for Segura. According to USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale, the Diamondbacks “certainly plan to have Jean Segura in the everyday lineup, most likely at second base.”

On the flip side, Hill is due $12 million in salary for the 2016 season, though the positive for Milwaukee is he has an expiring contract, according to Spotrac. 

Having posted on-base percentages below .300 over the past two seasons and a negative defensive WAR in that span as well, per Baseball-Reference.com, Hill has not lived up to his top-dollar billing.

If the Diamondbacks can’t land a superior second baseman on the roster before spring training, they might opt to start Chris Owings, though Segura is also an option to change positions.

Owings is only 24 years old, and although he batted .227 in 2015, he does have upside and plenty of room to grow, whereas Hill’s best baseball seems to be behind him. No matter what the future holds with Owings, it wouldn’t hurt to bring a veteran aboard for depth purposes.

Even if this Hill trade isn’t one that stirs excitement among fans in the desert, it is a step in the right direction. The addition of ace pitcher Zack Greinke gives the D-backs staff a much-needed boost and should help Arizona improve in 2016 regardless of who starts at second base.

The Brewers are absorbing a lot of salary and cutting the Diamondbacks a considerable break, but they won’t be burdened with Hill’s deal on the books for long. The hope is he can have a bounce-back season.

Hill was an All-Star with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2009, when he had 36 home runs and 108 RBI. He also had an excellent 2012 campaign in Arizona with 26 homers, 85 RBI and became one of only four players in MLB history to hit for the cycle twice in one season.

With experience playing third base and shortstop, he’s a versatile infielder who could be a solid stopgap option reinvigorated by a fresh start.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks may not be done making deals, this time exploring trade possibilities for second baseman Aaron Hill.

According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, the Diamondbacks are “trying to trade” Hill. 

Continue for updates. 

Uncertain Market for Hill

Sunday, Jan. 24

One problem the Diamondbacks could run into trying to deal Hill, as Heyman mentioned, is the surplus of free-agent middle infielders available like Jimmy Rollins, Howie Kendrick and Ian Desmond. 

Another issue that the Diamondbacks will have to figure out is Hill’s salary. He’s due to make $12 million in the final year of his three-year, $35 million deal signed in 2013, per Spotrac. 

The 33-year-old is being paid like a star, but his on-base percentage has been under .300 the past two seasons and his slugging percentage has gone from .522 in 2012 to .345 in 2015. The Diamondbacks will presumably have to pay a lot of the money he’s owed in order to make a deal happen. 

As Matthew Trueblood of Baseball Prospectus said, Hill is dead money right now and “modest salary relief” would be the biggest victory Arizona can hope for. 

Arizona’s situation at second base is a mess right now. In addition to Hill’s struggles, Chris Owings was a disappointment with a .587 OPS in 147 games last season. The Diamondbacks have made a lot of big moves to upgrade their pitching staff this offseason, but they still have offensive holes to plug. 

Exploring any potential market for Hill does open things up for Arizona’s front office, which has found ways to get creative this offseason. He’s not going to net any sort of valuable return, but being able to save $2-3 million in salary may help the Diamondbacks make one more move before spring training begins.

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Change is certainly on the wish list of Arizona Diamondbacks fans as the holiday season approaches. 

And with spring training and the regular season also approaching, change must happen now. The 2014 season was one to forget. The D-Backs finished 64-98—worst in MLB.

Injuries to Patrick Corbin, Mark Trumbo, A.J. Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt all contributed to the struggle. It also likely led to the firing of Kirk Gibson and the hiring of new manager Chip Hale.

Corbin is projected to return to the rotation midway through the 2015 season. Goldschmidt should be fully healthy coming off a fractured left hand.

However, Arizona’s intriguing offseason moves to this point have already made headlines.

The most notable acquisition was Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas. He should provide much-needed power and protection for Goldschmidt in the lineup.

The D-Backs also acquired pitching depth in Jeremy Hellickson (from Tampa Bay) for prospects, and Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster (from Boston) for Wade Miley. 

Yet, there are still holes the organization needs to fill for a successful 2015 campaign. Here are some changes the D-Backs should make before spring training. 

Go After James Shields

D-Backs.com lists Josh Collmenter at the top of the rotation on the depth chart. Collmenter precedes De La Rosa, Hellickson and Webster.

With Corbin coming off Tommy John surgery, there are no guarantees regarding his return or performance. Arizona’s front office knows a top-of-the-rotation arm is needed to compete in the NL West.

Money is no longer the issue it once was now that the D-Backs sent Miguel Montero to the Cubs. Montero was scheduled to make $40 million over the next three years.

With some payroll flexibility, adding Shields would greatly bolster the rotation. Shields went 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA last season with the Royals, helping them reach the World Series. His durability also makes him an attractive commodity. Shields has started 30-plus games in each of the past eight seasons. 

Expect Arizona to take a look at Shields knowing that pitching has been a recent problem. Here is how the starting rotation would look midway through the 2015 season with Shields and a healthy Corbin. 

1. Patrick Corbin

2. James Shields

3. Josh Collmenter

4. Rubby De La Rosa

5. Jeremy Hellickson

Replace Miguel Montero

Losing Montero leaves Arizona with Tuffy Gosewisch as the starting catcher on the depth chart. That will certainly not suffice, especially on the offensive end. 

There are several potential trade targets for general manager Dave Stewart to consider. One is Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila. He is not known for his offense, but he can be a solid defensive replacement for Montero. Avila led AL catchers in runners caught stealing with 36. 

Another option Stewart has reportedly considered is Toronto Blue Jays catcher Dioner Navarro. The latter is the more attractive offensive option. Navarro hit .300 with 13 home runs in only 89 games with the Cubs in 2013. Last season, he hit .274 with 12 home runs in Toronto.

Both stat lines were more impressive than Montero‘s past two seasons (.230, 11 HR in 2013 and .243, 13 HR in 2014).

Expect Stewart to explore both options as potential replacements at the catcher position in 2015.

Consider Trading Aaron Hill

Aaron Hill’s power-hitting days are behind him. With only 21 home runs in the last two seasons and several bites from the injury bug, it is time for Arizona to part ways with the veteran second baseman.

Hill is due $24 million over the next two years—even more reason to cut ties. If the D-Backs can trade Hill, it would open up even more money to pursue quality starting pitching.

Arizona has plenty of young infield talent to replace Hill—Chris Owings, Jake Lamb and Nick Ahmed, to name a few. Veteran Cliff Pennington can also play second base if needed.  

The D-Backs’ offseason plans involved adding a power bat, shedding salary and getting younger. Trading Hill would follow suit, and it also makes sense for the long term.

Competing against the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants and the playoff-caliber Los Angeles Dodgers will make contending in the NL West difficult for the D-Backs in 2015.

But with these changes, expect Arizona to have a good chance at finishing over .500 for the first time since 2011.

Adding quality pitching while creating a more flexible payroll—the formula for success in Arizona. 

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Here are 10 under-26 prospects (in alphabetical order) who are tearing it up in the minor leagues.

Whether any of these talents gets promoted to the majors soon is unknown, but if their numbers are called sometime between late June and early September, be ready to scoop ’em up in 12- 14- or 16-team leagues.

Pitchers

SP Trevor Bauer, Reno Aces (Triple-A)
Age: 21
Parent Club: Arizona Diamondbacks
2012 Stats: 11-1, 2.11 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 104/42 K-BB
Skinny: There’s no time like the present in splurging for a Justin Verlander/Clayton Kershaw/Stephen Strasburg-esque prospect who’s been nearly unstoppable at every level of the minors. (Bauer was recently promoted to Triple-A Reno.) Given the Diamondbacks’ patient approach with super prospects (Justin Upton would be a rare exception), there’s no guarantee Bauer will see a major league ballpark before Sept. 1. However, he could easily force Arizona’s hand with a few more dominant starts in Reno.

SP Tony Cingrani, Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Double-A)
Age: 22
Parent Club: Cincinnati Reds
2012 Stats: 6-2, 1.45 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 91/17 K-BB
Skinny: Cingrani went 13 starts (and 60-plus innings) before allowing more than two runs in an outing. That alone should garner Cingrani (the Reds’ No. 10 prospect) prime consideration to be Cincinnati’s next big callup to the majors, among pitchers. At the very least, Cingrani may be evolving into the organization’s No. 1 pitching stud (fractionally ahead of Donnie Joseph/Robert Stephenson).

SP Jose Fernandez, Greensboro Grasshoppers (Single-A)
Age: 19
Parent Club: Miami Marlins
2012 Stats: 7-0, 1.59 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 99/18 K-BB
Skinny: In recent years, the Marlins haven’t been afraid to promote teenagers in the majors. Of course, Miguel Cabrera and Edgar Renteria were hitters, but Fernandez, a pitcher in the mold of Felix Hernandez, might be too great a force to ignore during the pennant chase.

SP Danny Hultzen, Jackson Generals (Double-A)
Age: 22
Parent Club: Seattle Mariners
2012 Stats: 8-3, 1.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 79/32 K-BB
Skinny: It may be just a matter of time before Hultzen—the Mariners’ No. 1 prospect—punches a permanent ticket to Seattle. In his last seven appearances (spanning 44.2 innings), Hultzen has allowed a microscopic two runs (0.41 ERA in that span), while collecting six wins and 45 strikeouts. In the fantasy realm, Hultzen projects to be a high-end No. 2 starter in the majors.

SP Jake Odorizzi, Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple-A)
Age: 22
Parent Club: Kansas City Royals
2012 Stats: 8-2, 2.89 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 81/20 K-BB
Skinny: Odorizzi, who headlines the Royals’ next wave of big-time prospects to Kansas City, would be a welcome sight upon earning an MLB promotion. Since April 23 (covering 10 appearances), Odorizzi has surrendered just 15 runs (2.21 ERA in that span) while racking up seven wins and 74 strikeouts. In the fantasy realm, Odorizzi could evolve into Kansas City’s No. 1 pitcher throughout the decade.

Hitters

OF Jackie Bradley, Salem Red Sox (Single-A Advanced)
Age: 22
Parent Club: Boston Red Sox
2012 Stats: 3 HR, 34 RBI, 53 R, 16 SB, .359 BA, .480 OBP, 1.006 OPS
Skinny: According to The Roanoke (Va.) Times, Bradley will earn a promotion to Double-A ball this week, a nod to his consistent success over the last two months. But with outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford likely rejoining the Boston lineup in the next 30-45 days, Portland, Maine, may be Bradley’s last destination for the season. That aside, he could provide three-category production if given the chance to succeed in the majors.

C Travis d’Arnaud, Las Vegas 51s (Triple-A)
Age: 23
Parent Club: Toronto Blue Jays
2012 Stats: 15 HR, 48 RBI, 42 R, 1 SB, .335 BA, .385 OBP, .987 OPS
Skinny: The Blue Jays already have a solid, young catcher in J.P. Arencibia (nine homers, 32 RBI). But the club can only stash a great prospect like d’Arnaud in the minors for so long. In the last two seasons, d’Arnaud (36 homers, 126 RBI, .319 batting) has separated himself from the pack of under-25 prospects. He’s also built up expectations to the point where he could be a top-10 catcher to open the 2013 season. But that distinction is based on him getting quality at-bats in the majors this season—hopefully in the next three weeks.

2B Jake Elmore, Reno Aces (Triple-A)
Age: 25
Parent Club: Arizona Diamondbacks
2012 Stats: 1 HR, 48 RBI, 60 R, 23 SB, .395 BA, .473 OBP, 1.007 OPS
Skinny: In the course of his 26-game hit streak (May 20-June 17), Elmore has 14 multiple-hit games, 15 steals and a whopping .420 batting average. Hopefully, it’ll be enough to motivate the Diamondbacks to give Elmore a look in the coming weeks, although Aaron Hill just hit for the cycle on June 18.

OF Wil Myers, Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple-A)
Age: 21
Parent Club: Kansas City Royals
2012 Stats: 24 HR, 61 RBI, 59 R, 5 SB, .337 BA, .408 OBP, 1.127 OPS
Skinny: Check out this run of statistical success from May 31-June 17: In that span, Myers notched eight homers, 18 RBI, 23 runs and batted at a .358 clip. As hitters go, Myers could be Kansas City’s next big target to burst onto the scene. As fantasy leagues go, there’s a chance Myers will have outfield and catcher eligibility whenever he breaks through to the bigs. If that’s the case, he’ll definitely be worth rostering in 16-team leagues.

1B Anthony Rizzo, Iowa Cubs (Triple-A)
Age: 22
Parent Club: Chicago Cubs
2012 Stats: 23 HR, 59 RBI, 46 R, 2 SB, .364 BA, .426 OBP, 1.170 OPS
Skinny: Of the prospects listed here, Rizzo is the odds-on favorite to garner the next big-league promotion. In fact, the Cubs recently placed first baseman Bryan LaHair in the outfield, a move that could precipitate Rizzo’s permanent relocation to Chicago in the coming days or weeks.

Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.

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Aaron Hill came over in a mid-season trade last year to help offset the loss of Stephen Drew and provide some veteran leadership. Hill hit .315 for the Diamondbacks but only hit two home runs in 124 at-bats to bring his season total to eight in 520 total at-bats.

2012 didn’t start as planned for Hill. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts against the Giants on Friday night. Game two of the season turned around for Hill as he hit home runs off Madison Bumgarner in both the first and second innings.

It took Hill just eight at-bats to match his home run total from 124 last year. Some might think it’s an aberration, but take a look at Hills’ career stats. It show that he’s been here before.

Hill hit a combined 62 home runs between the 2009 and 2010 seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays. Granted his batting average (.286 and .205) were not something to get too excited about, but if Hill can take direction from Arizona hitting coach Don Baylor and put pieces of those seasons together, he could really make something happen.

This is an even bigger deal with the impending free agency of Stephen Drew. If the Diamondbacks feel comfortable letting him go and allowing Hill to move to SS they could free up enough money to keep fan-favorite Miguel Montero in Phoenix.

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One week into the regular season, and Aaron Hill’s numbers are on the egregious side; .259 SLG (ranks 302), and .207 OBP (ranks 350). 

Given that it is early, and granted he was a little behind his teammates in spring training due to injuries, those numbers are still an area of concern. 

With what Hill produced last season, a definite improvement is needed when considering Brett Lawrie is waiting in the wings in Las Vegas. 

Before tonight’s game against the Angels, Gregg Zaun said he loves Aaron Hill batting second because he will see more fastballs with Jose Bautista hitting behind him, and once the game started, the color guys were pretty convinced that Hill was not pressing and was indeed looking for his pitch. 

In his first two at-bats, Hill saw seven pitches (five in the first appearance with two fastballs).  It appears he is still struggling with pitch selection and patience, as evidenced by his second plate appearance. During the course of completing this article, Hill’s BA has nearly dipped below the .200 mark. 

Obviously, it’s not a confidence booster when you take a look at the stat sheet at the end of the night. But when it comes to confidence, it has to affect the athlete’s psyche sooner or later. 

Hill is a leader and one of the veterans, we all know that; but when is it time to cut your losses and shake things up?  How long can this team wait on Hill to regain his form of two years ago? 

Before you know it, it’s May and the cream starts to rise to the top.  Here’s hoping Aaron Hill can figure it out, as there is a pretty talented middle infielder in Sin City itching to get his shot.

Devon is the founder of The GM’s Perspective

You can follow The GM’s Perspective on Twitter and facebook

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If you play in a standard five-by-five league (i.e., one that includes batting average), you will want to check out our standard league rankings by clicking here.  For those who utilize OBP, let’s take a look at how that changes the rankings (and it does so fairly significantly):

1. Robinson Cano – New York Yankees
2. Chase Utley – Philadelphia Phillies
3. Dustin Pedroia – Boston Red Sox
4. Dan Uggla – Atlanta Braves
5. Ian Kinsler – Texas Rangers
6. Ben Zobrist – Tampa Bay Rays
7. Rickie Weeks – Milwaukee Brewers
8. Brandon Phillips – Cincinnati Reds
9. Martin Prado – Atlanta Braves
10. Brian Roberts – Baltimore Orioles
11. Kelly Johnson – Arizona Diamondbacks
12. Aaron Hill – Toronto Blue Jays
13. Gordon Beckham – Chicago White Sox
14. Chone Figgins – Seattle Mariners
15. Tsuyoshi Nishioka – Minnesota Twins

Thoughts:

• Ben Zobrist struggled in ’10, no one is going to argue that fact, but he still managed a 14.0 percent walk rate.  That helped him post a .346 OBP despite struggling with a .273 BABIP.  Let’s not forget that he is just a year removed from a .405 OBP courtesy of a 15.2 percent walk rate and .326 BABIP.  There certainly is reason to believe that he could post a tremendous mark once again in ’11.  Couple that with 20/20 potential and there is an awful lot to like, pushing him significantly up this list.
• The player who falls the most thanks to the removal of average and addition of on-base percentage is Aaron Hill.  Even in his big, breakout 2009 campaign (.286, 36 HR, 108 RBI, 103 R), he managed just a .330 OBP thanks to a 5.7 percent walk rate.  Yes, the average is going to rebound due to his historic poor luck in ’10 (you can read more about it by clicking here), but he’s just never going to post a strong OBP (career .325 mark).
• Another loser is Brandon Phillips, who has a career walk rate of 5.9 percent and OBP of .316.  You still have to like him thanks to 20/20 potential, but there certainly are options with significantly more upside in the OBP department.  One who is close is Martin Prado, but his advantage in OBP isn’t enough considering Phillips could out produce him in HR, SB, RBI and R (depending on where he hits in the lineup).
• Tsuyoshi Nishioka posted a 12.2 percent walk rate over his last two seasons in Japan.  Granted, we really don’t know how his game is going to translate to the Major Leagues, but at that point in the draft he is well worth the risk due to his potential in OBP, R and SB.
• Who should be listed at No. 4, Dan Uggla or Ian Kinsler?  I know we all want to push Uggla up, thanks to OBP of .360, .354 and .369 the past three years but we can’t overlook Kinsler’s abilities as well.  In 2008 he actually posted an OBP of .375 and last season he was at .382.  Of course, he always struggles with injuries and his walk rate has fluctuated by a fairly large margin from year to year.  I’m going to give Uggla the nod for now, but it certainly is open for discussion.

What are your thoughts on the rankings?  Who’s too high?  Who’s too low?

**** Make sure to order your copy of the Rotoprofessor 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide, selling for just $5, by clicking here. ****

Make sure to check out our 2011 OBP rankings:

• Top 15 First Basemen

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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The headache was more like a jackhammer slamming around in my skull. I could barely walk, barely think, as I stumbled into Wal-Mart to find some relief. The first pain reducer I came to was Aleve. A 100-count bottle of 220 mg pain-fighting assistance.

I grabbed them, coughed up the $8.38 plus tax and popped a pill as soon as I got to the car.

My next headache came three days later, when I realized that Wal-Mart sold generic Naproxen Sodium in 100-count bottles at the same dosage for $3.30. I paid more than double what I should have.

On draft day, you don’t want to be that guy that overspent on a perceived stud when there are great values in the later rounds. Some of my personal value guys this year at second base include:

Ian Kinsler, TEX

Kinsler is currently being drafted, on average, in the fourth to fifth round. When you consider he has first-round talent, the value here is apparent.

However, the elephant in the room is his injury-riddled 2010 season, where he finished with just nine homers and 15 stolen bases in 291 at-bats.

So, taking Kinsler presents a risk. Current signs from Texas suggest Kinsler should be ready and raring to go this season. Recent news mentions that Kinsler will be batting leadoff for the Rangers this season, which is where he hit during Thursday’s intrasquad game.

On the surface, this should indicate a bounce-back season from a speed standpoint as long as Elvis Andrus stays at the No. 2 slot. It should also boost Kinsler’s runs scored.

At this point, I’d take Kinsler at the current ADP on the chance that he stays healthy for most of 2011. However, watch his stock this spring. If he shows he is on track health-wise during spring training, owners may get a little bolder on draft day and take him higher.

Aaron Hill, TOR

That pitiful .205 batting average over 528 at-bats is killing Hill’s fantasy draft stock in 2011.

That, for we sneaky ninjas, is a good thing. Even during his “off year,” he still hit 26 homers. He also had an MLB-low .196 BABIP, suggesting he was excessively unlucky during the 2010 campaign. That is something that should definitely change over time. For more on his BABIP and longer terms stats, check out my second base rankings.

The key here for Hill, and for all of us fantasy value seekers, is that he’s being drafted on average in the late, late rounds. Much later than a proven power hitter should fall. There is little doubt in my mind that he’ll be a solid value selection in 2011 drafts.

Gordon Beckham, CWS

Want a good way to find possible sleeper/value players? Look for young guys with tons of talent who’ve dealt with there share of growing pains.

Beckham is one such player. Just 24, he has plenty of major league career in front of him. This season, he’s hitting in front of both Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko. A perfect spot to be in a hitter-friendly environment.

On top of that, Ozzie Guillen recently mentioned that he wants Beckham to run more. To be a threat on the basepaths. While he has accumulated just 11 steals in two partial seasons, Beckham was pretty adept at swiping bags while in college at Georgia.

Considering Beckham is falling into the final rounds (and not even drafted in some leagues), he is so worth a flyer based on potential alone.

For more on second base rankings, check out my comments and current list. And don’t miss our solid commentary on second base ADP rankings.

My full positional rankings include: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP

My other value players, sleeper picks at other positions so far: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP

For all your hard-hitting fantasy baseball and fantasy football advice, go to www.chinstrapninjas.com

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During my current series, I will be examining the relative strengths and weaknesses of the teams in the American League East, on a position-by-position basis.

The players at each position will be ranked in relation to their peers within the division, with each team being assigned points based on where their player ranks in comparison to the other players. 

Today, the series continues with a look at the second basemen.

The best player will earn 10 points for his team, with the remaining players being assigned points as follows: 7-5-3-1.

At the end of the process, I will accumulate all of the points for each team and create a divisional power ranking.

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The Toronto Blue Jays have been going in the right direction ever since Alex Anthopolous took over as General Manager.  Alex Anthopolous has put great emphasis on developing young talent and has invested time and money into ensuring that the future is bright.  At the same time, AA has managed to put a fantastic product on the field that has remained competitive even in the toughest division in baseball.  

The Toronto Blue Jays have had a phenomenal offseason as they have made a ton of wonderful signings and acquisitions that have significantly improved the team.  Players like Rajai Davis and Octavio Dotel come to mind.  

The Blue Jays have a very bright future and the present isn’t too bleak either.  The Jays have a good team and have strong and talented youth ready to make the Jays a contender for years to come. 

In my mind, I believe the Jays can make the playoffs this year.  The following is ten reasons why I believe that to be true.

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