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Projected Lineup (2003 stats) Pos. Player Avg. HR RBI SB CF Craig Biggio .264 15 62 8 SS Adam Everett .256 8 51 8 1B Jeff Bagwell .278 39 100 11 2B Jeff Kent .297 22 93 6 LF Lance Berkman .288 25 93 5 RF Richard Hidalgo .309 28 88 9 3B Morgan Ensberg .291 25 60 7 C Brad Ausmus .229 4 47 5 Projected Rotation (2003 stats) H Player W-L ERA WHIP RH Roy Oswalt 10-5 2.97 1.14 LH Andy Pettitte 21-8 4.02 1.33 RH Roger Clemens 17-9 3.91 1.21 RH Wade Miller 14-13 4.13 1.31 RH Tim Redding 10-14 3.68 1.39 FANTASY BASEBALL Sign up Today! • NEW! Baseball Commissioner Full service league management tool. $99.95 per league • NEW! Fantasy Baseball Conquer your league and take home the pennant. $19.95 per team • NEW! Salary Cap Challenge Select your dream team with a $75 million budget. $9.95 per team

The NL Central is set to be a two-horse race and the Astros are ready to gallop, having added Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens to an already formidable starting rotation. So long as injuries don't take their toll, the Astros will be playing well into October.

Jeff Bagwell is the best player in team history and will continue to be this season as well. Coming off of a 39 home run, 100 RBIs, 11 steals season, Bagwell again will have ample protection batting in front of Jeff Kent, Lance Berkman, Richard Hidalgo and Morgan Ensberg. A top five first baseman even in mixed leagues, Bagwell is worth a spot on any team.

Craig Biggio was one of the elite second basemen in the NL for most of his career. But as an outfielder, there's nothing particularly exciting about a 38-year-old who, in his best of years, will hit 15 home runs and bat around .270. If Biggio's around at the end of your draft, grab him if you like, but he shouldn't be in your grand scheme going in.

The Astros are perhaps the majors' most stable team with their rotation and regular starting eight decided before spring training even began. The only decisions for manager Jimy Williams to figure out on his 25-man roster are how to fill out the last couple of spots in the bullpen.

Houston has a couple of speed demons -- second baseman Chris Burke and outfielder Colin Porter -- coming up through their system but the major league roster will be comprised mainly of station-to-station baserunners.

Brad Lidge has the stuff to be more than adequate as the closer. As a rookie in 2003, he posted 97 strikeouts in 85 innings.

It's a great story that Clemens finally has come home, but let's face it: He's going to be 41-years-old and although he's in great shape and a sure Hall of Famer with 300 career wins, expecting Clemens to win more than 15 games would be asking too much. For the first time in his career, Clemens will be asked to bat and run the bases, not exactly the best remedy for someone with fragile groins.

Jason Lane, Wade Miller, Tim Redding

Brad Ausmus, Jeriome Robertson, Kirk Saarloos